


Broken Ties

by love2hulksmash



Series: The Ties That Bind [3]
Category: Hawaii Five-0 (2010)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Emotional Baggage, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Heavy Angst, Internalized Homophobia, M/M, but also lots of comfort, seriously so much angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-29
Updated: 2019-12-19
Packaged: 2020-02-07 04:11:03
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 17
Words: 41,570
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18612868
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/love2hulksmash/pseuds/love2hulksmash
Summary: What happens when Steve's worst fear comes true? Can Danny bring him through it? Or will their connection be permanently severed?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [BxBori9181](https://archiveofourown.org/users/BxBori9181/gifts).



> As usual, muchas gracias to bxbori1981 for being my very favorite Beta, my best friend, and my very own personal Danno. I love you to Pluto and back, babe!
> 
> P.S. I *highly* recommend you read the first two parts of this series. This cannot be read as a standalone!

Steve let out a soft groan and rubbed at his strained eyes. He’d been sitting in his office the better part of the last three hours, trying to finish up the last of the post-case reports due to Governor Denning by Monday morning. He’d sent the team home just past 4 p.m., promising not to bother them for the entire weekend. Ever since he’d been cleared for field work just over two months ago, they’d been going nonstop. Crime always seemed to pick up over the Christmas and New Year’s holidays, and this year had been no different.

 

The SEAL sighed heavily and sat back in his chair, trying to will away the growing headache raging behind his eyes. He had at least another hour to go before he was finished, but the desire to just leave the final report details for Monday morning was almost more enticing than he could bear.

 

“Alright, that’s it, babe, come on, you’re done,” Danny’s voice sounded from the doorway. Steve’s eyes jerked open – when he had even closed them, he couldn’t tell – and he immediately straightened out of his slouch.

 

“Thought I sent you home,” he said smirking, adding a few more sentences to the report as Danny came further into the office. Danny smirked as well and leaned against the desk on Steve’s left side, eyeing him with his usual frustrated fondness. Steve had Faces, as his boyfriend so often liked to tell him, but the blonde wasn’t all that unexpressive himself.

 

“You told me to go home, yes, but see, here’s the thing. I am actually a grown man, a legal adult who can do what he likes, including staying in the office to make sure his bullheaded partner doesn’t faceplant into his keyboard,” Danny said gently easing the laptop screen down until Steve had to pull his hands away to avoid getting them clipped.

 

“I wasn’t done with that, ya know,” he said looking up into Danny’s bright blue eyes. Danny simply responded, “Come on, dinner time.”

 

Steve gave several halfhearted complaints about the time, getting to bed, and wanting to start his Saturday early with a swim and run, but Danny didn’t seem to be listening. He pulled Steve to his feet and herded him towards the exit.

 

Danny hit the H1 drumming his fingers to the beat of the radio, gently bobbing his head to the song currently playing. It took Steve a moment to notice, but then he spoke, “Daniel?”

 

“Yeah, babe?” Danny asked, and Steve could hear what suspiciously sounded like knowing humor.

 

“This isn’t the way to my house,” the brunette commented eyeing the passing highway lights. The sun hadn’t quite set, but it was on the wrong side of the car for them to be heading towards his home.

 

“Wow, nice observational skills there. It’s almost like you’re a professional or somethin’,” Danny shot back, “Did you think I meant dinner at your place? ‘Cause you could be a comedian, too, makin’ jokes like that.”

 

“Danny, I’m exhausted, really. It’s been a long day, and I just--.”

 

“Just wanna eat New Year’s leftovers for the fourth time this week? Sorry, not happenin’. Besides, this spot is outta the way, so there won’t be too big of a crowd. We can have a nice meal, maybe a couple drinks, then head home,” Danny said matter-of-factly, as if any argument Steve decided to put up was going to be shot down regardless.

 

Steve sighed and relaxed back into the seat, leaning his head back and letting his eyes drift closed. Danny’s hand found his and threaded their fingers loosely together. “You’ve been runnin’ yourself ragged ever since you came back. Let me spoil you just a little bit, please?” he asked quietly.

 

Steve couldn’t help the grin that twitched at his lips, peeking out at Danny from the corner of his eye. “Sap,” he murmured letting his thumb move smoothly against the back of the blonde’s hand. Danny kept his focus on the drive, but Steve swore he saw a glint of red on his cheeks even in the fading sun.

 

The 30-minute drive seemed to fly by to Steve, even as half-aware as he was throughout the trip. He’d taken a small power nap, not wanting to bring down his boyfriend’s obviously perky mood by being too exhausted to even share a meal. When Danny finally pulled off the road into a gravel parking lot, Steve’s brows furrowed slightly.

 

Danny hopped out before he could question their destination, moving around to open Steve’s door when it looked like he wasn’t moving of his own volition. “Come on, dinner and a couple drinks, and I’ll take you right home to sleep the next 12 hours,” he said after a few moments.

 

The bright neon sign of Kemo’o By The Lake stood out against the dark sky, a few patrons waiting to enter as the bouncer meticulously checked IDs. What made Steve hesitate were the two rainbow flags on either side of the sign, and a banner below it reading “Friendliest LGBT-Friendly Bar On The Island” in flourished cursive lettering. He eyed Danny and – seeing the hope in his boyfriend’s eyes – sighed softly before clambering out of the car, carefully shutting the door behind him.

 

They’d been on a handful of surprise dates over the past few months, not including dinner and a movie at either of their houses. It was never anything big, just a short midday breakfast at Liliha’s after surfing the morning away or a quick dinner at Kamekona’s the day after Christmas or something similar. Steve had even drummed up the courage to finally take Danny to Senia after closing a big robbery case just after New Year’s.

 

Danny tentatively held out his left hand, and Steve hated himself for the self-conscious doubt he could see in the blonde’s face. He gave a small grin and placed his right hand in Danny’s grip, letting the smaller man pull him closer. “Is this okay?” Danny asked softly, “Really okay?”

 

Steve took a slow, deep breath, forcing his shoulders to drop back down from his ears and waiting until his neck muscles loosened ever so slightly. “Yeah, Danno, it’s okay,” he said just as softly, leaning down to place a chaste kiss on his lips. The smile on the blonde’s mouth helped to ease the last of his tension, and they made their way towards the entrance.

 

Inside the lobby, a small line was still waiting to be seated. The SEAL’s throat seemed to dry up the closer they got to the host station. The man next to the small podium was definitely a native, that much Steve could tell, but he certainly wasn’t dressed like one.

 

He sported a brightly colored, sleeveless pink tie-dye shirt that was hemmed high enough to show off his midriff, and the black shorts he wore looked painted on. His eyes were heavily shadowed with a bright pink powder, pink rhinestones were perched atop his overly darkened brows, and his full lips were layered with a matching pink lipstick.

 

“Oh, my goodness, Daniel!” he suddenly yelled, practically launching himself into Danny and causing Steve to step away instinctively to avoid being forcibly separated from his boyfriend, “My beautiful Daniel, where have you been? It’s been _ages_!”

 

Danny rolled his eyes playfully, returning the hug even as Steve’s eyes widened. Danny had been here before? And enough times that the hostess recognized him instantly??

 

Danny chuckled and answered, “Been a rough couple months at work, Nani. Sorry I missed the New Year’s party, I’m sure it was the rave of the year.”

 

Nani planted a resounding smack on both of Danny’s cheeks before pulling away, wiping away the lipstick smudges with an innocent smile. “Kemo’o bitched the whole night about missin’ her favorite haole,” he joked.

 

“Oh, please, I’m sure plenty o’ mainlanders made their way this far from the beaches to celebrate,” Danny retorted before glancing back at Steve, “Steve, this is Nani, my favorite bar hostess on the island. Nani, this is--.”

 

“So, _you’re_ the Steven I keep hearing about,” Nani said, a nearly lascivious smile on his face, letting his gaze travel from the top of Steve’s head to his boot-covered feet, more than once. Steve flushed deep red, trying not to fidget even as he practically glared back. He couldn’t get his mouth to work for the life of him, not after “Nani’s” blatant flirting with both him _and_ Danny.

 

Nani merely burst out laughing and, with an exaggerated wink, asked, “First time?”

 

“Back off and get us a booth, you heathen,” Danny said chuckling and reaching blindly for Steve’s hand. Steve flinched and almost jerked his hand away at the touch. Danny’s gaze met his as Nani waved a hand to beckon them to follow.

 

“You okay, babe?” Danny asked not immediately following Nani. He pulled Steve close enough to wrap an arm around his waist. Steve trembled slightly against him, even as he rested his arm around the blonde’s shoulders. He swallowed thickly before glancing down.

 

“Didn’t know you came here before,” he said trying to maintain eye contact and failing.

 

“Been here a lot, actually, since a few months after I first moved here. It’s a nice spot, away from downtown, even got a small dance floor,” he said squeezing Steve’s side. Steve stiffened yet again, and Danny quickly added, “Kiddin’, babe. Just dinner and drinks tonight, promise.”

 

The blonde hesitated, because he could clearly see that Steve was uncomfortable with the hostess’s comments, as innocent as they were, but he also knew his boyfriend would completely shut down if pushed further. Keeping a loose grip around Steve’s waist, though, he finally followed Nani to the back of the bar, tossing a wave to more than a few patrons as they trekked through.

 

“Here ya go, sweetheart, best seat in the place,” Nani motioned a minute later, directing them to a booth small enough to not take up too much space, but big enough for Steve and Danny to sit across from each other comfortably. Steve sat facing the bar without thinking, not wanting his back to the walkways or pool tables scattered throughout the bar. Danny quietly thanked Nani before sitting down as well.

 

Steve could barely sit still, his eyes tracking each employee and the patrons sitting at the tall bar. There were several men and women at each pool table, and the few tables around them also held customers in the middle of meals. As out of the way as Danny claimed this place was, it was clearly still a pretty popular Friday night hangout spot.

 

His fingers tapped a metronomic beat against his knee, a habit he’d picked up in his early SEAL days to keep his focus in high-intensity situations. The music playing over the speakers was upbeat, and he could see people drifting towards the dance floor Danny had mentioned, drinks in hand. But even over the mild raucous, Steve felt like his heartbeat was pounding in his ears.

 

“Do you wanna spend the night scouting, or do you wanna maybe order some food?” Danny asked suddenly. Steve’s eyes jerked to him, and he immediately stopped twitching. Danny looked both irritated and hurt, and Steve couldn’t tell which feeling was more prominent.

 

“Sorry,” he said quietly, “I’m sorry, Danny, it’s just…it’s a lot to take in.”

 

“Do you wanna leave?” Danny asked plainly.

 

“No, no, just…,” Steve responded, “Like you said, it’s just dinner and a couple drinks, right? Nothin’ we don’t usually do anyway.”

 

Danny hesitated to speak as a server appeared, one Longboard already in hand. “Nani said you were over here, Danny, so I figured I’d get you started with your usual,” the tanned and obviously dyed blonde woman spoke with an easy and open smile, “Loco Moco as usual, too?”

 

Danny moved the sweaty beer bottle over to Steve, and the woman jolted a little. “Oh, I’m so sorry, sir,” she said quickly, “I didn’t think, can I get you anything else to drink or…?”

 

“This is fine,” Steve answered fingering the bottle. Danny told her to bring another and to open a tab, and she was off immediately. “Thought you said only a couple drinks?” Steve asked taking a casual sip from the bottle, finally relaxing back into his seat.

 

“Worse comes to worse, we’ll call Chin and Kono to come get us,” Danny said reaching for the bottle and taking his own deep swig. Steve arched an eyebrow and said, “So we’re sharing drinks now, is that it?” Danny smirked and playfully swatted at Steve’s leg with his right foot. The blush on Steve’s cheeks made his smile even bigger. Yeah, they’d be alright, tonight at least.


	2. Chapter 2

Danny swirled a French fry through the last little bit of ketchup on his plate as Steve lounged back in his seat, a satisfied grin on his face. He’d loosened up considerably over the past couple hours, seeing how comfortable the blonde was in the bar environment, and they’d each had a couple beers along with their meals.

 

Kemo’o, the bar’s namesake, had been over several times to harangue Danny for his absence, and Steve had lost count of how many _haole_ jokes the massive woman had thrown at his boyfriend. Danny had taken them all good-naturedly, retorting with his own island jokes each time.

 

Steve was tired, sure, but he was enjoying Danny’s company too much to try to call it a night. Being honest with himself, he could admit that this had easily been his favorite surprise date with Danny since they’d made things official back in October.

 

“Your face is gonna get stuck like that, babe,” Danny spoke up, eyeing him with a fond grin.

 

“Not opposed to that idea, Danno,” Steve said taking a sip from his bottle, casually stroking Danny’s calf with the toe of his boot. Danny flushed at the look in Steve’s eyes, half fondness and half desire. He swallowed the last bit of beer in his bottle just as the house band that had been playing the past half-hour finally decided to take a break. A slow song began playing from the jukebox, giving the patrons a chance to catch their breaths and take a break from the dancing.

 

“Dance with me?” Danny asked quietly, slowly moving from his seat. Steve took a deep breath as a few other couples strayed to the dance floor, and he moved from his seat as well, taking another, longer gulp from his bottle before placing it solidly on the table.

 

“Lead the way,” he responded, threading his fingers through Danny’s left hand. Danny smiled broadly and did just that, finding an empty spot near the stage, away from the other couples. He placed his right hand solidly against Steve’s waist, sighing happily when the brunette’s left hand drifted from his shoulder to the nape of his neck.

 

“I could get used to this, ya know,” he murmured as they swayed to the gentle guitar beat coming through the speakers.

 

“The food, the drinks, or the dancing?” Steve asked, his eyes flitting from Danny’s blue orbs to his lips and back. His heart hadn’t felt this full, this… _right_ , in as long as he could remember. The blonde had come into his life when everything seemed to be going wrong, when he couldn’t see a future – happy or otherwise – and turned everything upside down. Or maybe right side up.

 

“All of it,” Danny answered pulling him closer until their chests touched, his right hand drifting to Steve’s lower back and pressing against the cloth-covered skin.

 

“We’ll have to…maybe come back here sometime,” Steve whispered grinning.

 

Danny’s eyes widened in genuine surprise, and his smile seemed to grow until his cheeks hurt. “You’re serious?” he asked.

 

“Yeah, why not. Food’s good, company’s even better,” Steve said scraping his nails gently across the back of the blonde’s neck.

 

Danny shuddered minutely, and Steve watched his pupils expand under the dance floor lights. When Danny’s tongue peeked out to wet his lips, Steve gave his own shudder. Leaning down slowly, he rubbed his nose against the shorter man’s cheek, letting his lips graze until their mouths met.

 

For all Steve was aware in that moment, they might as well have been alone not just on the dance floor, but in the whole bar. Danny let out a soft moan, and Steve took full advantage, easing his tongue between the parted lips and deepening the kiss, tilting Danny’s head slowly until their mouths locked together like missing puzzle pieces.

 

“Detective Williams?”

 

Steve jerked back so fast, Danny stumbled into him. Danny cleared his throat and looked to his left, his eyes meeting those of a slim, chestnut brown-haired man. “Yeah?” he asked casually, “What can I help you with?”

 

“Hi, I’m Officer Joey Lopes, you and, um, Commander McGarrett did a seminar at the academy a couple weeks ago,” the man said with a shy, shaky grin, “I didn’t, um…, didn’t know you….” He trailed off, and Steve pulled away from Danny completely, locking eyes with Danny as he did.

 

“I’m gonna…I’m gonna…,” he whispered as his heart rate skyrocketed. This couldn’t be happening, it just couldn’t be.

 

“Babe…?” Danny called out, but Steve was backing away with a look of sheer panic as he eyed the young officer. The SEAL spun around and practically ran out of the bar, almost shoving people aside in his attempt to get to the exit.

 

Steve burst into the warm night air, his chest heaving and his vision narrowing. He stumbled over to the Camaro, yanking on the passenger side door, almost roaring in frustration when the locked door didn’t give an inch.

 

He placed his shaking hands on the roof, trying to slow his breathing as a sudden rage overwhelmed him. He’d told Danny, he’d _told_ him he didn’t want to come out tonight. He should’ve pressed the issued, should’ve been more adamant about going home. And now…

 

The car suddenly clicked, indicating the doors had been remotely unlocked, and he yanked open the door, throwing himself inside and slamming the door shut. He didn’t see Danny coming around the car, refused to even lift his eyes as the driver’s side door opened and the blonde slowly climbed inside.

 

“Babe…,” Danny started.

 

“Don’t. Just…don’t, Danny. Take me home,” Steve gritted out, his hands clenched tightly against his knees.

 

“Will you let me--.”

 

“Take. Me. Home,” Steve snapped glaring out the window. He heard Danny give a resigned sigh, and swallowed against the hot tears burning in his eyes.  The entire ride back to his house was spent in the tensest silence he’d shared with Danny since their first month with Five-0.

 

Danny pulled into Steve’s driveway a long 45 minutes later, cutting the engine and sitting back in his seat. “You feel like talkin’ now?” he asked simply.

 

“What is there to talk about?” Steve snapped suddenly, “I _told_ you I didn’t wanna go out, I _told_ you I just wanted to come home and, yes, eat fuckin’ leftovers! I was fine with that, I’ve _been_ fine with that all week, but no, you just had to have your fuckin’ way tonight, didn’t you?”

 

“Joey is gay, Steve,” Danny said simply.

 

“I don’t give a rat’s ass about Joey! I couldn’t care less if he was fucking every guy in his class! This is not about him! This is about your blatant lack of respect for who I am, for what I want, for what I _need_. I didn’t need to go to a goddamn gay bar for dinner, but you just wouldn’t stop pushing!” Steve ranted, his face reddening in his blind rage.

 

“My lack of respect? Are you fucking kidding me, Steve? You wanna go there, we can go there, ‘cause you haven’t respected me since the first goddamned day we met!” Danny snapped back, his own ire growing.

 

“Don’t bring work into this, work has nothing to do with _us_ ,” the brunette growled.

 

“The way you act sometimes, I don’t get the impression you even want an us,” Danny retorted facing him more fully.

 

“I’m not like you, Danny!” Steve gritted out, “I’m not a proud bisexual man, I’m not out and flaunting it in the face of everyone who crosses my path, I’m barely out to begin with! And you take me to the “neighborhood gay bar” thinking, what, I’ll suddenly be awestruck at how proud and easy it is to be this way on this island?! ‘Cause that isn’t what happened, not at fuckin’ all!”

 

“I’m not trying to push you into anything at all, I was hoping that maybe you’d get over yourself long enough to at least have a public meal with your goddamned boyfriend,” Danny snarled, his hands gesturing wildly.

 

“Get…get over myself? That’s rich comin’ from you. Let me tell you somethin’, Danny," Steve retorted, his voice rising to match his anger, "Your old pal Joey is gonna run his mouth first chance he gets, and come tomorrow, the whole police academy is gonna know about me. And Monday, you know what’s gonna happen by Monday? The whole goddamned _force_ is gonna know about me! So heaven help me if I don’t get over myself!”

 

“And why is that so bad? Who gives a shit about you bein’ bisexual, Steven, other than you?” Danny said indignantly, “You act like it’s this big fuckin’ burden, like maybe if you stuff it down deep enough, or hide from it long enough, maybe you’ll just forget it’s even a part of you. That’s not the way it works!”

 

“What the hell do you want from me? Huh, Danny? What?!” Steve yelled, at the end of his rope.

 

Danny’s eyes turned cold in the pale light streaming from the house’s front porch. In a voice as sharp as steel, he answered, “I don’t want anything from you, Steven.”

 

Steve felt like a sucker punch to the gut would’ve been less painful than those seven words. He shuddered out a breath and looked down at his hands, the words reverberating through his core like a hollow point bullet, ripping and shredding his insides into irreparable pieces. After a few long moments, he swallowed thickly and nodded, his face completely blank.

 

“Okay…. We, uh…, we gave it a shot,” he said climbing from the car robotically. He looked back into the vehicle, barely able to meet Danny’s hard gaze, and quietly added, “If you, um, if you…if you wanna go back to HPD, I’ll-I’ll sign the papers, the-the transfer papers on Monday as soon as I get to the office.”

 

Danny’s jaw clenched tightly, but he didn’t respond. Steve backed away and eased the door shut before turning for his house. He pulled his keys from his pocket with a shaking hand. The Camaro roared to a start as he opened the front door, and the headlights receded and turned away quickly.

 

Steve had survived a lot in his life, a _lot_. His mother’s death, Hell Week, SERE training…Freddie…his dad. Life hadn’t been easy for him at all, but he’d fought like hell to keep putting one foot in front of the next, no matter the danger or threat. The only easy day was yesterday, right? Yeah, well…, he didn’t think he could survive this.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *most horrible poker face to ever bad poker face*


	3. Chapter 3

Steve slid the door shut behind him, tossing his keys blindly towards the small table to his left. Danny had left. Danny had thrown away their relationship, their partnership, their…everything, and left him. Steve’s heart felt like it was being dug out of his chest with a dull spoon, and a sob stuck in his throat that he couldn’t shake loose.

 

He lost track of how long he leaned heavily on the front door, trying to break down his pain into endurable steps that he could check off like a to-do list. He just had to make it through the next minute…, hour…, day, right, just like BUD/S. With that, he let out a shuddering breath and went to move towards the stairs.

 

_Danny left_ , his mind threw at him, _Just like everybody else_.

 

His legs buckled under him, and he barely caught himself before hitting the floor. He couldn’t breathe, not deep enough to keep himself upright, and he was suddenly terrified that he was having a heart attack. His chest heaved as he struggled to take deep breaths. His throat tightened, his vision narrowed, and there was an incessant ringing in his ears that reminded him of claxon warning bells on the carriers he’d served on.

 

He didn’t see the lights pass over the front window, didn’t hear the front door open behind him, didn’t hear his name being called frantically. All he could focus on was the pain in his heart. He didn’t think he’d ever felt this kind of hurt, not in his entire life. This was the kind of pain that could kill, the absolute worst way to go. He’d confess his deepest, darkest secrets being tortured with this pain.

 

A brown paper bag was suddenly thrust over his mouth, and a sharp voice snapped in his ear, “Breathe, goddamn it, breathe, Steven!” Steve trembled and tried to pull the bag away; it was limiting what little air he could force into his lungs already. A steady hand rubbed firmly over the back of his neck and upper back, and kept the bag at his mouth.

 

“Come on, babe, breathe, that’s it, breathe,” Danny whispered in his ear, “Slow in through your nose, slow out through your mouth. In through your nose, out through your mouth. Yep, that’s it, that’s perfect.” The sob finally ripped from Steve’s mouth, and the tears followed. One hand clutched at his chest, the other gripping Danny’s forearm, as he literally felt like his heart was breaking.

 

“Christ…,” Danny murmured as Steve shook violently against him, the small brown bag rapidly contracting and expanding with each breath until the brunette’s breathing finally slowed to a reasonable pace and he slumped over against him, unconscious. Danny sighed heavily and tossed the bag away, sniffling away his own tears.

 

He’d thought seeing Steve nearly pass out driving down the H1 highway before opening up about his bisexuality was bad; he even thought seeing Steve going down from a gunshot to the shoulder three months ago was worse. Seeing Steve having a full-blown panic attack on his living room floor after their argument made those other two events seem like a walk in the park.

 

Just as his knee began to protest his kneeling position, Danny felt Steve jolt to awareness. “Easy, buddy, easy,” he murmured cupping the back of his head, forcing him to stay just where he was, “Take some good, deep breaths for me.”

 

Steve stiffened against him, though he did inhale as deeply as he could before exhaling just as deeply. After another minute had passed, Danny released his grip, not surprised when Steve scrambled to his feet, his cheeks red and blotchy.

 

“What are you doin’ here?” Steve managed to ask, wiping roughly at his wet cheeks. No one was supposed to see him like this, not even Danny, _especially_ not Danny. Danny slowly stood, rubbing at the soreness in his right knee as he did.

 

“We weren’t done,” the blonde said simply. Steve snorted ruefully and countered, “You made it pretty clear that we were.”

 

“We had an argument, Steve. Hell, we had _one_ _half_ of an argument, trust me. And you’re ready to just throw in the towel, huh? I didn’t take you as a quitter,” Danny said, an eyebrow raised in both frustration and disbelief.

 

“That was…so much more than an argument, Danny, Jesus,” Steve said as an errant tear slipped down his cheek, “Look, you should go. I’m…I’m too tired to do this with you.”

 

“I’m not goin’ anywhere,” Danny argued, stubbornly planting his feet and crossing his arms, “I told you, we weren’t done.”

 

Steve sighed and moved towards the door. He’d never kicked Danny out of his house, despite his many threats, but he was serious this time. If Danny wanted to have this conversation later, after the SEAL had had time to decompress, then maybe… He reached for the doorknob with a shaking hand, just managing to get a solid grip before pulling the oak door past the frame.

 

“McGarrett!”

 

Years in the military had Steve practically snapping to attention at Danny’s tone. His spine straightened automatically, and he would’ve bet whatever was in his wallet that he would’ve thrown up a salute if he’d been facing the blonde.

 

“Shut the goddamn door,” Danny growled from behind him.

 

Steve let out a slow breath and eased the door shut. There was something different in the blonde’s tone that had him itching to obey, and his brain was too fuzzy to figure out why. His skin flushed as he heard Danny step closer to him.

 

“I said… We. Weren’t. Done,” Danny said evenly.

 

His tone brooked no room for argument, and Steve knew it. He exhaled shakily and dropped his head forward. He didn’t know what else Danny needed to say, but he knew that this was going to happen. And what Danny needed was all that had mattered to him since they’d met. No matter how much it hurt, no matter how much more pain he’d have to endure, the SEAL would do just that. He’d endure it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *skedaddles away*


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the wait, guys!

Danny could almost see Steve steeling himself, and he wanted to laugh, he did. It had definitely been a long day, and what felt like an even longer night. Before he’d climbed out of his car, his dashboard had shown it was nearing midnight. He longed for sleep just as much as he knew Steve did, but he also knew they both wouldn’t be able to rest with this argument hanging over their heads.

 

Steve let out a heavy sigh before facing Danny, his eyes glued in some distance spot over the blonde’s head. He tried to regulate his breathing in the ensuing silence, but his nerves were already beyond frazzled.

 

“You are somethin’ else, pal, you really are,” Danny said shaking his head ruefully, “You look like you’re in front of a firing squad.”

 

“Can we just get this over with?” Steve asked quietly.

 

“Get what over with?”

 

“Whatever it is you think we have to talk about.”

 

“I’d like to think that maybe you’d have something to contribute to this conversation. You sure had more than enough to say in the car,” Danny said tensely. Steve’s walls were up again, his face that mask of indifference the blonde had worked months to get through, and his frustration was growing again.

 

“What would you like me to contribute, Danny? I said we gave it a shot, didn’t I?” Steve said blandly, even as his throat tightened once more, “I tried…. I tried to…. Forget it.” He let out a shaky breath and dropped his head, that pain in his chest becoming more and more pressing the longer he stood there.

 

“I tend to forget sometimes that you have the emotional range of a 5-year-old,” Danny responded just as blandly.

 

“If you’re just gonna insult me, I’m serious, you can leave. I don’t know why you even came back,” Steve gritted out.

 

Danny cocked his head and said, “Glad to see there’s still somethin’ that can make you react like a normal person.”

 

“I _am_ a normal person, goddamn it! I’m just like you, Danny, I _feel_ things…a lot stronger than you think I do,” the SEAL raged, his hands tightening into fists, “I’m not a fuckin’ robot!”

 

Danny smirked and stepped even closer, until he could feel the heat coming off his boyfriend’s chest. Steve shivered noticeably, but still didn’t make eye contact.

 

“It’s always special to see a Navy SEAL actually scared o’ somethin’, ya know,” Danny quipped, taking in Steve’s blank face, “You don’t see it all that often.”

 

“I’m not…,” Steve whispered finally locking eyes with him, his brows furrowing at the peaceful look on Danny’s face, “Why are you lookin’ at me like that?”

 

“Lookin’ at you like what?” Danny asked placing his left hand on the door, crowding all the more into Steve’s space. Despite their height difference, the SEAL pressed back against the door as if he could escape the growing tension between them.

 

“Like…like…. I don’t know, like _that_ ,” he said in frustration, unable to pinpoint the emotion he saw on the shorter man’s face.

 

“I came back, Steve. You realize that, don’t you?” Danny asked quietly, the small grin finally fading from his features, “I got more than halfway home, and all I could think was, I’m not gonna let him just…throw us away like that. It’d be too easy for him.”

 

“ _Me_ throw us away? You’re the one who said--.”

 

“I know exactly what I said. And I meant every word,” Danny cut him off coolly, “I don’t want _anything_ from you, babe.”

 

Steve swallowed thickly before looking away, that feeling of panic welling up inside him once more. It had hurt bad enough to hear those words the first time. It seemed even worse now, because Danny had said them so calmly this time, like there was nothing to it, like they didn’t tear Steve apart inside. He jerked at the sudden feel of Danny’s palm against the side of his neck, his eyes shooting back towards the blonde.

 

“You said that I didn’t respect you. I came back to tell you that…that’s not true. You said I didn’t care about who you were, or what you wanted, or what you needed. I came back because…that’s not true, either,” Danny said quietly, “I know you. I know you like I know my own name, like I know every little scar that my daughter’s ever gotten, like I know…that you’re terrified right now.”

 

“And what makes you think that? SEALs don’t get scared, we get motivated,” Steve countered.

 

“Yeah? What are you “motivated” by right now, then, huh? That I’ll walk away for good? That I’ll do just like you offered, leave Five-0, let you sign those stupid transfer papers like a coward? You think I’m actually fed up enough to go back to HPD, of all places?”

 

Steve’s breath hitched and he looked away, squeezing his eyes shut and keeping his hands clenched tightly at his sides to avoid clutching Danny to him. The shorter man was close enough already that it wouldn’t take much to yank him forward, enfold him in his arms, hold tight and never let him go. But that would be giving in, and Steve had fought too hard to make it on his own throughout his life to concede defeat now, especially when Danny’s words hit so close to home.

 

“Man… I knew your past had its hooks in you deep, but this is….” Danny carefully tilted Steve’s face toward him, waiting until Steve’s eyes opened and locked with his in the dim light of the kitchen doorway.

 

“My past has nothing to do with this, Danny,” Steve murmured thickly, “I just…don’t know if I can be who you want me to be.”

 

“And who is it that you think I want you to be? Other than someone who maybe doesn’t get me shot at on such a regular basis? ‘Cause that’d be ideal, actually,” Danny said softly, his lips twitching upward.

 

A few tears escaped Steve’s eyes, and Danny thumbed them away. “I don’t want you to be anybody other than who you are, babe. As…frustrating as you are sometimes, I wouldn’t have you any other way. And I mean that,” the blonde said.

 

“But…in the car…,” Steve said as his right hand drifted to Danny’s waist without his conscious awareness of moving it there. Danny eased his hand to the back of Steve’s neck and nodded, silently telling him to keep going.

 

“In the car…, I thought…. You didn’t say anything when I got out, when I said I’d let you go back to HPD without a fight?” Steve continued slowly, “And…you left… I thought it was for good.”

 

Danny sighed and rubbed his thumb lazily back and forth over Steve’s skin, feeling the tension slowly dissipate. “I just needed to clear my head a little, get my blood pressure back down to a somewhat healthier range,” he explained, “And…I wanted to think about what you said, whether you were right, that…I pushed when I should’ve backed off, or maybe not pushed so far so fast. I also…needed to think about what _I_ wanted, and whether or not I could be who _you_ needed me to be.”

 

“That doesn’t make any sense. You said…,” Steve said shakily, still unable to form those words. He didn’t think he’d ever forget the look on Danny’s face or his tone as he’d threw those words at him.

 

“Steve…, listen to me very carefully, okay? You listening?” Danny said quietly. The brunette shuddered against him, his fingers clenching around Danny’s shirt, not quite pulling him closer but definitely not letting him move further away. He’d collapse if Danny said those words again; his grip was just as much about keeping the shorter man close as it was to keep himself upright.

 

“I don’t…I don’t want just anything from you,” Danny continued, stepping closer until he was pressed flush against Steve’s front, chest to hip, “I want _everything_ from you. Everything you’re willing to give and more.”

 

Steve’s jaw dropped slightly as Danny’s fingers traced up to his temple. “I want your brain. I want to see you work out how wind gusts affect our surfing dates, and whether or not you can actually curve a bullet like that stupid movie you made me watch a few weeks ago. I wanna be able to see your face light up when you talk about somethin’ only maybe 2 percent of humanity can actually understand,” Danny continued.

 

Steve’s left hand drifted up to Danny’s jaw as the blonde eyed his mouth. “I want your lips, your tongue, your teeth, your whole mouth, babe. I wanna be able to kiss you whenever I want, outside of the office, of course, just because I can, and just because you want me to,” Danny murmured, letting his fingers drift down until his hand rested over Steve’s heart. He could feel it pounding heavily under his palm, but he hesitated to speak again.

 

The silence stretched out once more, but it felt less tense, more anticipatory, like they both knew Danny was on a ledge right now. Steve leaned down and rested his forehead against Danny’s, letting his fingers drift from his jaw to the back of the blonde’s head. It should’ve been uncomfortable with how close they were to each other, but the SEAL liked to think that he was meeting Danny somewhere halfway in this, and he hoped Danny would see the gesture for what it was, an apology and an offer of reconciliation.

 

“I want your heart, Steven,” Danny finally spoke, just loud enough to be heard clearly, “I want…I want you to trust me with it, and know that I’d never, _ever_ let anybody hurt you, not if I can help it, _especially_ not me. I’ll do everything in my power to protect it, because I know…. God, I know what a precious gift that would be, and I’d bust my ass every day to make sure I’m worthy of you.”

 

“Danny…,” Steve choked out, just as Danny tilted his face towards him. Their mouths met in a gentle, languorous kiss, and Steve slumped against the door, pure relief flooding his system. His knees threatened to give out on him again, and this time he did pull Danny even closer, his right arm wrapping tightly around his waist. “Can we…. Is it possible for us to…?”

 

Danny watched him fight for the right words, staying silent because he knew just how hard it was for Steve to express himself sometimes. The brunette started and stopped several more times before outright grunting in frustration.

 

“Maybe let’s sleep on it, huh? It’s been a long day for both of us, and I don’t know about you, but I’m about to ready to pass out on my feet,” Danny finally said, trying to give Steve an out, hoping he’d actually take it. Steve sighed heavily and nodded his agreement.

 

“Stay?”

 

Danny smirked and answered, “I hate to tell you this, SuperSEAL, but…you’re kinda stuck with me.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kudos and comments always appreciated!!!


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Enjoy!

Steve awoke early the next morning by habit alone, curled up into Danny’s chest, the blonde’s right arm wrapped possessively around him. He blinked blearily against the bright sunshine streaming through the curtains over his bed and shifted just enough to apparently wake Danny with a start.

 

“Hey, babe, you alright?” Danny asked quickly, his voice thick with sleep yet also filled with worry. Steve wasn’t even sure Danny was conscious enough to realize that he was stroking the SEAL’s arm in a deliberately soothing manner.

 

“Yeah…. Yeah, I’m good, Danno,” Steve murmured, though he shifted closer, burying his face into the hair covering the blonde’s chest and taking the deepest breath he could manage before exhaling slowly. He felt his stiff muscles slowly unlock with each breath, until he could ease his left arm around Danny’s waist.

 

“Don’t tell me you’re still gonna go swim,” Danny grumbled after a few moments, peeking at the clock on Steve’s nightstand, “It’s barely 7 a.m. It should be illegal to be awake this early on a Saturday, let alone exercising. I’m a detective, I know these things.”

 

Steve snorted softly and simply nuzzled Danny’s chest in response. There was nowhere else he wanted to be at that moment than in his boyfriend’s arms, but his bladder was telling him he’d at least better take care of that little problem. “Gonna go take a piss,” he said easing out from Danny’s still-tight grip.

 

“You’re such a romantic,” Danny grumbled burying his face in Steve’s pillow and pulling the blanket almost completely over his head.

 

Steve smirked and moved into the bathroom, taking care of his ablutions quickly. As he washed his hands, he stared at his reflection. His eyes were bloodshot red, evidence of the panic attack he’d suffered and the ensuing fallout. The SEAL knew he wasn’t any good at long-term relationships, let alone his first relationship with a man, but he’d never wanted to succeed at something so bad as he wanted to be with Danny.

 

Hearing Danny pull off the night before had broken something already tenuously stretched inside him. Danny had seen him at his highest and, more importantly, at his lowest, and he’d always had his back. To believe, at least in that one instance, he didn’t? Steve’s mind couldn’t take it.

 

Shuddering out a breath, coming back to the present, the brunette turned off the faucet and dried his hands. He knew he wouldn’t be going back to sleep anytime soon, so he silently slipped back into his bedroom, grabbed a pair of board shorts from the dresser, and hurried downstairs before Danny could wake again and stop him. The ocean had always been his safest haven, for as long as he could remember. He needed that connection now.

 

Two hours later, Steve emerged from the ocean waters physically spent, but feeling more stable than he had in days. As he headed up towards the house, he spotted Danny on the back lanai with a cup in hand, a small grin on his face.

 

“Couldn’t help it, huh?” Danny asked once Steve got closer. Steve offered his own grin and shrugged as innocently as he could while running the towel through his hair.

 

“At least you didn’t drag me out there with you. I appreciate that more than you know,” Danny said turning and headed back into the kitchen, “Come on, you need carbs after that workout.”

 

“Were you out here the whole time?” Steve asked following close behind him.

 

“Unlike some people, I know what it means to sleep in on the weekends,” Danny retorted draining the last of his coffee, “Go take a shower while I fix us somethin’ to eat.”

 

“Yes, dear,” Steve said snarkily, moving past him. Danny stopped him with a gentle grip on his wrist. Steve faced him in question, trying not to twitch under the blonde’s steady gaze. The silence stretched out until Steve could feel his cheeks starting to turn red under the scrutiny.

 

“I love you, ya know,” Danny finally whispered, his breath shaky and nervous. Steve’s jaw dropped and he was pretty sure his mind blanked out. It was the first time Danny had said those words since they’d made their relationship official. He knew there were several appropriate responses he absolutely should be making right now, but his brain had apparently decided to go out of service for the moment.

 

“You don’t have to--.”

 

Before Danny could finish that statement, Steve rotated his hand and gripped his wrist instead, yanking him forward and latching their lips together firmly. He felt Danny smile against his lips, bringing his free hand up to drag through and pull at the brunette’s wet locks. Steve moaned gutturally and the blonde immediately deepened the kiss, his tongue slipping past Steve’s lips with ease. Steve backed Danny up until they hit the island counter, and he didn’t hesitate to lift Danny onto the surface.

 

“Gah, you fucking animal,” Danny snapped playfully, though his legs locked around his boyfriend’s waist to keep him in place.

 

Steve slipped his fingers under the edges of his t-shirt, playing with his waistband as the kiss went on until they were both panting heavily against each other. “Wanna…wanna…,” Steve breathed, one hand trailing over the front of Danny’s pants, just grazing his hardened cock.

 

“What do you want, babe? Name it, it’s yours,” Danny gasped, his hips jerking forward against the teasing touch.

 

Steve’s cheeks flushed red as he murmured, “Wanna taste you…. Please, Danny, can I….”

 

Danny shoved him back and jumped off the island, grabbing his hand and practically dragging him upstairs. Inside the bedroom, he kicked the door shut just before Steve was on him again, yanking his t-shirt up and over his head. His lips dragged down the side of the blonde’s neck and his fingers slipped fully inside Danny’s sleep pants, finally gripping his length. Danny couldn’t help the full-body shiver as Steve slowly dropped to his knees, nuzzling at the clear outline of the blonde’s erection.

 

“Fuck…,” he whispered, one hand threading through Steve’s hair, the other struggling to help pull down his pants. He’d held off being intimate with the SEAL for so long, he felt like he was going to cum just from the thought of Steve blowing him.

 

“Danny…,” Steve breathed running his hands up Danny’s thighs, around to his ass, squeezing the plump flesh and mouthing him through the thin cotton.

 

“Oh, God,” Danny groaned, “Come on, babe, stop teasing!”

 

Steve carefully grasped the elastic waistband and eased the pants over and down the blonde’s legs, his mouth watering at the sight of Danny’s cock hard and leaking already. It had been a long time since he’d gone down on a guy, and it was never anybody he actually had feelings for, let alone to the depth that he cared for his boyfriend. He took a slow, deep breath before wrapping his lips tightly around the head, moaning at the thickness and taste leaking from the small slit.

 

“Babe!” Danny gasped as he slowly began bobbing, and the blonde tried his damnedest not to jerk forward, “Oh…. Oh, I’m…Fuck, I’m not gonna…”

 

Steve licked and suckled and kept his pace as steady as he could, his own moans matching Danny’s. His blood felt like it was on fire, and his own cock twitched in his wet board shorts. This was beyond glorious to him, being able to give Danny this, showing his feelings in this way when words had failed him just a few short minutes ago. Danny’s fingers tightened in his hair, his breaths came in shorter and shorter gasps, and he could feel the blonde swell even more in his mouth.

 

“Gonna…. Fuck, gonna – oh Christ, I’m gonna - Steve, I’m--.”

 

Steve took him all the way down, his throat squeezing around the head as he pulled Danny’s hips forward as he much as he could. The first jet of fluid hit the back of his throat, and Steve breathed through his nose as he swallowed every drop of the blonde’s release.

 

“FUCK!” Danny screamed knocking his head against the door, his body completely out of his control with the force of his orgasm. He shuddered as he felt Steve’s tongue caressing the underside of his cock, coaxing more and more out of him until the sensitivity finally became too much.

 

He quickly brought Steve to his feet and pulled him close, breathing heavily as they stared at each other. “Can I kiss you, babe?” Danny gasped out, his fingers twitching against the SEAL’s waist with leftover adrenaline.

 

“I didn’t-didn’t think you’d--.”

 

Danny yanked his face down and plastered their lips together, delving his tongue inside Steve’s mouth and licking at his tongue. His moaned deeply at the taste of himself, his free hand struggling to untie Steve’s board shorts.

 

Frustrated, he pushed Steve away and towards the bed. Steve grinned dopily and almost tripped over his own feet backing up and falling heavily on the mattress. He moved back as Danny kicked off his sleep pants before straddling his legs, groaning as their lips met again and his hands grasped at the blonde’s naked ass.

 

“Fuck, why did we wait so long for this?” Danny gasped rocking against his hardness. Steve moaned softly, unable to answer with Danny’s mouth sucking hard on his tongue. His hips jerked up, seeking friction, and he choked on a grunt when Danny’s left hand found his nipple, pinching just hard enough to be both painful and pleasurable. His nipples had always been sensitive, especially during sex, and he moaned against Danny’s mouth as the blonde brought up his free hand to play with the other nipple.

 

Danny dragged his mouth down the side of the brunette’s neck, tasting the salt from a combination of the ocean and Steve’s sweat. He slowly moved down until he could cover that same nipple, licking and biting until the nub hardened against his tongue. Steve shuddered and groaned, “Oh, fuck, Danny, please…don’t stop!”

 

“Not planning on it, babe,” Danny whispered continuing his downward path, licking randomly over Steve’s clenched abs, sucking on a patch of skin just below his navel as he finally managed to undo the knot of the board shorts. He yanked on the offending clothing until Steve lifted his hips just enough for Danny to be able to remove them, tossing them over his shoulder. Steve flushed from his roots down to his chest at Danny’s blown pupils, his lust practically oozing from his pores.

 

“You’re so fuckin’ beautiful,” Danny gasped running his hands up the SEAL’s powerful thighs, his fingers digging in to the muscle as his own cock gave a hopeful twitch. Steve swallowed thickly as Danny slowly stretched out between his legs, his lips trailing over the inside of both thighs, biting gently and suckling each spot until they were marked to his satisfaction.

 

“Danny…,” Steve gasped gripping the sheets until his knuckles were white. His skin felt too tight around his bones, like he was going to burst at any moment. He’d never been this turned on in his life, not with anybody, man or woman.

 

His mouth opened in a silent gasp when Danny finally took his cock into the warm, wet cavern of his mouth, his tongue playing a slow beat on the underside of the head. Danny moaned softly and slowly inched down, his lips tightening with each bob. Steve breathed heavily through his nose, his lips shut tightly against the noises the blonde was intent on causing.

 

“Nuh-uh, none o’ that silent SEAL crap,” Danny said pulling off, replacing his mouth with his right hand and lazily stroking Steve’s cock just enough off-rhythm to prolong the experience, “Let me hear ya, babe. I wanna hear every sound.”

 

Steve grunted softly as his hips tried to seek a steadier rhythm, more friction, more _anything_. God, he’d give his boyfriend anything if…

 

“Use your words, Steven. Tell me what you want,” Danny said patiently, still stroking and easing his other hand up until his fingers scratched at a nipple. Steve jerked up against his hands and he whispered, “Faster, pl--. Oh, God--.”

 

Danny smiled as he slowly increased his pace, swirling his tongue around the head on each downstroke, lapping at the leaking precome. “Yeah, yeah, oh…keep doin’ that,” Steve gasped reaching down and scratching at Danny’s shoulders.

 

“Anything else?” Danny murmured mouthing at his tightened sac, taking one into his mouth and running his tongue over and around. Steve’s moans gained in pitch and he stuttered out, “Your…f-fuck, your hand again – oh God, yeah, t-tighter – with-with your mouth…oh, fuck, Danny – _fuuuuck_!”

 

Danny tightened his grip and sealed his mouth around the head, stroking tightly and suckling hard against the head, urging Steve towards his own climax. “You thinkin’ about fuckin’ me, Steve? Thinking about slippin’ your dick in my ass, huh?” he murmured feeling Steve swell in his hand, “Wanna come deep in me, leave your mark?”

 

“Danny!” Steve gasped, his eyes wide and glazed.

 

“Or maybe you want…maybe you want _my_ dick in _your_ ass?” Danny added, and that was it.

 

Steve let out a loud scream/moan as his hips jerked wildly, thick ropes of pearly cum streaked up and out over his stomach, spots landing high up on his chest and even his neck. The blonde watched in total awe at the sight of the SEAL coming completely undone at his ministrations, his orgasm seeming to go on forever until he finally collapsed against the mattress, his chest and stomach heaving, his skin trembling with aftershocks.

 

Danny inched back up, lapping at the wet release until he reached Steve’s mouth. Both men moaned as they kissed lazily until the brunette finally pulled away, turning his head to the side to try to catch his breath. Danny smirked and latched onto the side of Steve’s neck. Steve suddenly stiffened under him, and Danny knew it was with apprehension this time.

 

“I won’t if you don’t want me to,” he murmured in understanding. Steve’s gaze found his, his face pinched with conflicting emotions. Danny stroked his cheek with his thumb, silently letting him know he was okay with whatever the brunette felt in that moment. Just because they’d just shared blowjobs didn’t mean Steve wanted any marks visible that would show as physical evidence of their relationship.

 

Steve swallowed thickly and said, “Maybe…maybe just w-where we know it is…for now?”

 

Danny pecked at his lips once, twice, before sliding down until he could latch onto Steve’s right collarbone, suckling and even biting hard enough to leave indents in the sweaty skin. Steve shuddered under him, gripping at the back at his head until he felt Danny’s tongue lapping at what was probably an awfully impressive bruise.

 

“Come on, babe, let’s take a shower, then I’ll feed you,” Danny murmured lifting back up. Steve cupped his jaw and whispered intensely, “I love you, too, Danny.”

 

Danny smiled broadly and moved from the bed, yanking the SEAL to his feet and dragging him into the bathroom. His mind whirled with plans for the next 48 hours, few of which including leaving Steve’s house. Not that the SEAL needed to know that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Really hoping my Muse decides to show her face again over the weekend! Life got really crazy this week, but I'm hoping to have the next chapter written, beta'd, and up soon!


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A very public thank you to bxbori1981 for being the best friend and Beta a girl could ask for! Thank you from the bottom of my cold, soft heart for being the Danno to my Steve! Love you 3,000, babe!!!

Steve laid stretched out on the couch early that evening, his head resting in Danny’s lap, Danny’s fingers gently carding through his hair. They’d gone out after breakfast to Ka’ena Point Trail, a 7-mile roundtrip hike that Danny had been surprisingly open to after their morning’s intimacy. Steve had been wanting to complete the hike since that fall, but work had always gotten in the way.

 

Steve kept a fairly light pace throughout the two-hour walk to the endpoint of the trail, accommodating Danny’s shorter stride with no complaints. Danny stopped by his house to pick up his camera because he wanted to take a few nature shots, and he’d managed to catch Steve off-guard at several points. “At least one of these is goin’ on my desk, babe,” he’d told him. The SEAL’s cheeks tinted pink, but he’d offered a shrug and a chaste peck in response.

 

With a full belly from a light dinner that they’d worked together to make, Steve let out a content sigh and snuggled deeper into the couch. “That’s a sound I could get used to, babe,” Danny murmured grinning down at him.

 

“It was nice to get out to Ka’ena. Thanks for comin’ with me. I know hiking isn’t really your thing,” Steve said turning his attention away from the high school basketball game they were currently half-watching.

 

“Maybe not, but it’s your thing, and you’re my thing, so…it’s a win for both of us,” the blonde said. Steve turned away bashfully, and Danny couldn’t help his chuckle.

 

After a few moments of quiet, Danny said, “So…there’s, um, there’s somethin’ I wanna get out there….”

 

Steve looked back at him with mild concern. Danny looked reluctantly resigned, and that filled the SEAL’s chest with worry. He slowly sat up and spun around to face him, tucking his left foot under his right knee. “What’s wrong?” he asked quietly.

 

“Notihn’, babe, nothin’ at all,” Danny said quickly, clasping his hands with a fervent grip.

 

“So why do you look…like you need to say somethin’, but you know I’m not gonna like it,” Steve countered, not pulling his hands away, but maintaining distance between them.

 

“I promise we’re good, babe, we’re completely good. It’s just somethin’ that’s been on my mind today, that’s all,” Danny said slowly, taking a deep breath.

 

Steve’s eyes dropped and he nodded slowly. Danny had looked off all day. Not necessarily regretful, but he wasn’t always present in the moment during their hike. The SEAL would catch him staring in either confusion or resignation, like Steve was a puzzle he was trying desperately to figure out, before his eyes would clear and he’d make some offhanded and halfhearted joke about the hike or the sun or anything to change the subject of Steve’s observations.

 

“It’s just somethin’ you said last night that’s…,” Danny said, his thumbs moving habitually over the back of Steve’s hands. Whether he was trying to soothe the SEAL or himself, he couldn’t say.

 

“I said a lot o’ stuff, buddy,” Steve countered, a forced grin pulling at his lips.

 

“Just…bear with me for a few minutes, will ya.”

 

“Go right ahead.”

 

Steve watched Danny take several deep breaths, the blonde’s eyes locked somewhere around his chest. The silence stretched until it became uncomfortable for him, but he would keep his mouth shut if it was the last thing he did.

 

Danny rarely ever kept his thoughts in check, regardless of the subject, so this was clearly something profoundly deep to his boyfriend. His own mind spun with several worst-case scenarios, before remembering that they’d just declared their love to each other not 12 hours ago. It couldn’t be that bad, could it?

 

“At the restaurant…,” Danny finally started, “Before everything with Joey…, you said you’d be willing to go again, I’m assuming with it just bein’ us. Then when Joey interrupted us, it was like you’d gotten caught in some…illicit affair by the Navy when DADT was still in place. And then…when we finally got here…you said you were barely out to begin with, unlike me who’s apparently out and flaunting it.”

 

“Danny…,” Steve said softly.

 

“Look, just…I know you’re not ashamed of us, of me, of our relationship. I’ve seen that, in so many different ways, over the past few months. What’s got me…flustered, I guess, would be the word…is why are you so ashamed of _yourself_?”

 

Steve’s cheeks burned and he immediately went to deny it, but…he couldn’t force the words past his lips. Keeping his bisexuality a secret had become second nature to him, especially since being shipped off to the Army/Navy Academy boarding school as a teenager. He had been bound by DADT for literally over half his life. No repeal could make up for years of both public- and self-inflicted denial, no matter what he liked to think.

 

“You know my dad sent me off to…to boarding school after everything happened with my mom. And even before that, we never had the best relationship. He was always working, I mean…always. I knew…at a pretty young age, probably around early middle school, that I was bisexual. But…I just never told him. I could probably come up with a million reasons why, looking back, but at the time… I don’t know, I just…couldn’t tell him.”

 

“But you told Mary?”

 

“She’s my sister, of course I told her. Hell, she’d already figured it out, she was just…waiting for me to come clean about it.”

 

“See…that…. You make it sound like it’s this thing you’ve done wrong, babe,” Danny said quietly, “Like you’re perfect at everything you do except this one thing.”

 

“Logically, I know that it’s just…the way I am, the way I was made. And…logically, I know that it won’t matter to anybody who really knows me. But when you come up in life like I did, Danny, essentially coming into adulthood raised by the military…,” Steve continued shakily, “All I’ve ever known is secrecy, keeping things close to the vest, not lettin’ anybody in any further than the mission requires. I think I’ve…gotten better since comin’ home, but…it’s still there, ya know.”

 

Danny nodded in understanding, scooting a little closer until his thigh was pressed flush against Steve’s knee and lower leg. “I don’t hide who I am, babe, whether it’s me bein’ bisexual or essentially a part-time dad or that I secretly kinda like the ocean,” he said with a small grin.

 

“My god….” Steve’s jaw dropped open in mock surprise, and he clutched at his chest in feigned offense, “All the hell you give me, and you actually _like_ swimming and surfing and all the other shit you complain about every time we go outside. Oh, the deception!”

 

Danny chuckled and reached up, tenderly caressing the brunette’s laugh lines. They made his boyfriend seem a decade younger, and he wondered what it would’ve been like to know Steve at that age, barely out of the Naval Academy, fresh into his career as a Navy officer. Steve’s right hand came up, loosely wrapping around his forearm and bringing him back to the moment.

 

“What I mean is, it wasn’t easy to get to this point for me, to be this confident in who I am. I had to literally fight for every bit o’ respect I ever got in Jersey. Essentially, I fought until word got around that I wasn’t to be messed with, about anything, from anybody. And that was way before anybody ever found out about my sexuality,” he spoke, “By then, I’d earned respect a million times over for just being a great cop and a good guy. That was more important than who I happened to be fucking at the time.”

 

Steve’s cheeks tinted pink again, but Danny kept going. He needed to get this message across as clearly as he could, regardless of how much it may have embarrassed the SEAL.

 

“I know it’s easier said than done, and I’m not sayin’ to take out a billboard ad, but…. You’re proud of _what_ you’ve accomplished over your career, in the Navy and now the stuff we’re doin’ with Five-0. The people we interact with here, from cops to citizens to tourists, they know Five-0’s reputation is among the best on the island, individually and as a group,” the blonde said softly, “So…maybe…maybe start breaking off some o’ those ties that the past got hooked into you, be a little prouder of _how_ you’re made, too. Because that guy? That’s the guy I fell in love with.”

 

He leaned forward, smiling when the SEAL met him more than halfway.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know what you think! According to my Muse, this story is far from over!


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Life. Is. So. In.Sane.
> 
> I really hope you guys enjoy this chapter. Writing McDanno smut is the biggest escape I have right now. :)

Danny cupped Steve’s cheeks as he ravaged his mouth, leaning forward until Steve grunted softly and fell back against the couch. The blonde followed him down, covering his body and settling between his parted legs, their hardening cocks brushing together. “Fuck!” Steve moaned against his lips. He scraped his fingers across the back of the blonde’s head, grinding up against the pressure of his hips.

 

Danny gripped his hips tightly with one hand, the other pressing up against the couch, as he slowly rocked against the SEAL. Between the both of them, there were entirely too many layers of clothing, but he couldn’t bring himself to care in that moment.

 

“Ugh…yeah, right there, Danny,” Steve grunted tossing his head back. Danny’s mouth landed again on his throat, just like earlier that morning, but he only pressed up against the touch more. Danny nibbled at the skin, leaving barely noticeable marks, trying to memorize the brunette’s taste with his tongue alone.

 

“Christ, what are you doin’ to me,” Danny groaned as their movements quickened. At this rate, he was going to cum in his shorts like a horny teenager. Steve’s hands slipped under the back of his shorts, gripping at his ass and encouraging him to grind deeper, harder, faster.

 

“Wait…. Steve, wait,” Danny whispered harshly, trying to pull himself back from the edge, shocked at how quickly they’d both gotten there. Steve actually growled at him, but he stopped moving and stared at him through narrowed eyes.

 

“Can we maybe go upstairs for this?” Danny asked breathlessly, his cheeks flaming red from exertion and desire, “Do this in your very comfortable bed instead o’ this couch, yeah?”

 

Steve swallowed thickly, hesitating for just a moment before offering a quick nod in response.

 

“Hey, what’s that look for? What is it?” Danny asked quietly.

 

“Nothin’, Danny. Promise,” Steve answered just as quietly, his fingers tracing the blonde’s sides smoothly, “You just…you make me crazy, buddy.”

 

“I could say the same to you, babe,” Danny smiled before lowering down until their lips met again, this time keeping the kiss slow and smooth, “But I love you for it.”

 

Steve’s lips curled up and he didn’t even try to fight the bashful blush. Danny slowly stood and helped him to his feet, taking a moment to turn the television and lamp off before leading the SEAL up to his bedroom. Steve let out a shaky breath when Danny eased the door shut behind him.

 

“Come on, talk,” Danny whispered turning Steve to face him, “You’re practically vibrating, babe.”

 

“I just…I want it to be good for you,” Steve admitted nervously, his cheeks now a bright red in the dark-orange glow of the sinking sun.

 

Danny smirked and pulled him closer, grasping at the hem of his cutoff t-shirt. He slowly eased the fabric up, caressing each revealed patch of skin until the shirt bunched at Steve’s armpits. Steve shuddered at the intense look in the blonde’s eyes, lifting his arms until the shirt could be removed.

 

“Almost everything you do is good for me,” Danny murmured nudging him backwards towards the bed, hands on his hips, thumbs stroking at his iliac crest.

 

“Almost, huh?” Steve asked softly. The back of his knees hit the bed, and he ungraciously fell to his ass, shocked by the sudden drop. Danny removed his own t-shirt much faster before straddling him, cupping the back of his head and nibbling at his lips.

 

“Your ego’s bad enough, SuperSEAL. If everything you did was good for me, I’d have myself committed to the nearest psychiatric facility,” Danny joked as he ran his free hand down the center of Steve’s chest, his fingertips stopping just above the waistband of his sweatpants. Steve shuddered against the teasing touch, resting back on his hands to give Danny more space.

 

Danny, though, moved from his lap and ordered, “Up. Come on, all the way, stretch out, babe.”

 

Steve nibbled nervously at his bottom lip as he followed suit, lifting his head when Danny grabbed the extra pillow. The blonde carefully tucked it under his neck, making sure he was comfortable. “Do you have supplies?” Danny asked softly.

 

“Bottom drawer of the nightstand,” the SEAL answered just as softly. He tried not to fidget as Danny’s eyes moved over his half-naked form, but his hands twitched against the blanket underneath him.

 

“I’m gonna take good care o’ you, Steven. You trust me to do that?” Danny asked leaning down over his torso. Steve nodded, his eyes locked on Danny’s mouth. He reached up to pull him down for a kiss, but Danny’s quickly grasped his wrists and pressed them down beside his head.

 

“Words, babe. They’re important,” Danny murmured, his grip on Steve’s wrists tightening minutely.

 

“I trust you,” Steve said hoarsely, relaxing into the bed. Danny grinned and came down the rest of the way, opening the brunette’s mouth with his tongue and mapping it out with his own. Steve moaned softly and strained against Danny’s hold on his wrists, but his boyfriend didn’t let up the pressure.

 

After a long minute, Danny finally pulled away, breathing heavily against his mouth. Without a word, he retrieved a small bottle of lube and a condom from the nightstand, setting them at Steve’s side. He began tracing idly over the SEAL’s chest with a finger, watching Steve’s face the entire time.

 

“One day…, I’m gonna map your whole body out with my tongue,” he said reverently. Steve flushed red and swallowed thickly, trying to focus both on his boyfriend’s words and touch. Danny’s lips twitched and he moved down to Steve’s waist, nibbling at the tense muscles of his lower stomach. Steve jerked under him as his cock hardened, grunting softly at each bite.

 

“One day…,” he continued, reaching up and slowly sliding the sweatpants down Steve’s long legs, grazing his skin until the pants came completely loose, “I’m gonna mark you up so that everyone knows you’re mine. And I don’t share.”

 

“Danny…,” Steve gasped, barely above a whisper. Danny kicked out of his own shorts, and the SEAL’s eyes went straight to his half-hard cock. His mouth watered even as his throat seemed to dry up. Danny slowly straddled him, and Steve’s hands locked on his waist immediately. “Oh, God,” Steve grunted as his boyfriend settled heavily against him.

 

Danny ran his hands up the SEAL’s abs, digging in slightly over his pecs, fingernails scratching at his stiffening nipples. Steve’s hips jerked under him, and he smiled knowingly. He leaned over him, resting his elbows on either side of the brunette’s head, biting at his throat, jaw, and behind each ear.

 

“One day…one day real fuckin’ soon, babe?” he whispered slowly rocking his hips, moaning as Steve hardened further underneath him, “I’m gonna get deep inside you…hard…rough…so deep, you’ll never remember what it was like with anyone else.”

 

“Jesus Christ,” Steve choked out, “You never fuckin’ shut up, do you?”

 

Danny chuckled softly and grabbed the lube, pouring a generous amount on his fingers before claiming Steve’s mouth once more. Steve ran his hands up the blonde’s sides, down his back, until he reached the plump ass. His eyes shot open as he realized what was happening.

 

“Fuck, you’re gonna feel so good inside me,” Danny groaned as he quickly prepared himself.

 

Steve mouthed at his throat, suckling vehemently just underneath his jaw, his hips surging up and against Danny’s cock. “Harder, babe,” Danny groaned, pressing two fingers inside himself now to spread the lube and relax his muscles. Steve’s fingers clutched tightly at his ass, spreading the cheeks to help make the prep easier, even as he moved further down Danny’s neck, right over his carotid artery.

 

Sweat began to build on both men as their sounds of passion filled the room. When Danny finally pulled away, Steve followed him up, determined to keep kissing him as long as he could. Danny wiped his hand of the excess lube, then grabbed the condom package. Their eyes locked, and Steve could see the silent question in his boyfriend’s eyes.

 

“My last test was right before we got together,” he whispered, “I usually…get it done every four months, even though….”

 

“Same here, babe. So…yes for now?” Danny said cupping his cheek. Steve nodded jerkily against the touch, relaxing when Danny pressed soft kisses to his swollen lips. “Lie back down,” Danny murmured against his mouth.

 

Steve slowly stretched back out, his eyes half-focused on the ceiling as Danny inched down onto his thighs. A moan clawed out of his throat at the feel of the blonde’s hands slowly stroking his cock, and he clutched at the blanket. Danny quickly tore open the condom package and rolled it onto the SEAL’s cock, then scrambled back up to his waist. Steve grasped the base of his cock, his chest heaving in anticipation.

 

“Here we go,” Danny murmured slowly inching down until the head of Steve’s cock just touched his loosened hole, “Gonna be so good…”

 

Steve’s right hand latched onto Danny’s thigh as he finally breached him, the tightness around his cock almost too much to bear. Tears came to his eyes unbidden, and his mouth dropped open as he held himself as still as possible. It seemed like an eternity passed before Danny settled completely, Steve’s cock filling him to the brim, just grazing his prostate, his balls nestled right up against his ass, the blonde’s own gasps of pleasure matching his boyfriend’s.

 

“Babe…? You with me?” Danny asked, running his hands lightly over Steve’s, which had settled tightly around his waist. Danny was willing to bet he could actually get a fingerprint impression, Steve was holding on that hard.

 

Steve swallowed thickly as the tears escaped down the sides of his face. His heart felt like it was going to pound its way out his chest, and his tongue felt too thick in his mouth. He’d never guessed it could be anything like this.

 

Danny leaned over him, and Steve gasped and jerked up inside him, bringing a sharp grunt of shocked pleasure from the blonde. “Use your words, remember, babe? Am I hurting you??” Dany asked worriedly.

 

Steve’s eyes shot open and he shook his head vehemently. “Feels so – God, so much pressure…. So tight, Danny, it’s – you’re…,” he moaned trying to slow his breathing, trying not to pass out from the sheer overwhelming pleasure of it all.

 

Danny’s brows furrowed and he hesitated before softly asking, “Steve, is this your first time? With a guy, I mean.”

 

It may have been an awkward question to ask at the moment, given their positions, but he couldn’t stop the words from escaping. Even in the midst of having his cock up Danny’s ass, the SEAL flushed completely red and he looked away in embarrassment.

 

“So much for Smooth Dog, huh?” he joked halfheartedly.

 

“Oh, babe, look at me,” Danny said tilting his face back toward him, “I’m honored, truly. We’re gonna talk about this, really talk about it, I promise. But right now? I’d really like it if we could finish what we started here.”

 

“Yeah?” Steve asked hopefully, his eyes wide in wonder.

 

“I might actually shoot you if you stop,” Danny answered moving forward before sliding back, throwing his head back at the feel. Steve groaned lowly, pressing up against him. Danny slowly sat back up, his thighs clenching as he pulled himself nearly off Steve’s cock, before slowly sliding back down. Steve slowly began moving with him, his abs clenching and releasing with each rocking motion. Before long, their rhythm increased until their pants and groans and grunts echoed off the bedroom walls.

 

“Yep, just like that, babe. Nothin’ different than bein’ with--.”

 

Steve grasped his hips tightly and yanked him down onto his cock. “Don’t you dare mention any woman’s name in this bed, Daniel,” he growled possessively.

 

“And what are you gonna do about it, caveman?” Danny snapped back, his tone teasing and snarky.

 

Steve planted his feet and began to pump his hips faster and faster, meeting each of the blonde’s downward motions with a sharp thrust. Danny’s moans grew in pitch as he sank back against his boyfriend, meeting him stroke for stroke.

 

“Harder, Steve, come on. Come on, babe, harder,” Danny moaned breathlessly, “I wanna feel you…every time I sit down for the-the next – shit, keep goin’ – God, _yes_!”

 

“Fuck – oh, Christ, Danny – yeah, ride my cock, baby,” Steve moaned pulling him down viciously against his thrusts. Danny’s cock bounced against his lower stomach, drops of precome leaving dotted trails over both their stomachs.

 

“Yeah – oh, I’m – fuck, Steve, fuck-fuck-fuck!” Danny gasped reaching for his cock, stroking quickly as Steve jackhammered into him. As his balls tightened, he reached forward and pinched tightly at Steve’s right nipple.

 

Steve’s muscles locked up, his cock jolted once, twice, and he fell over the edge with a vicious scream, pressing Danny down against his hips as his release filled the condom. Danny’s own release shot out over Steve’s stomach, and the blonde shuddered with each stroke, milking his cock until it softened under his touch.

 

Steve grasped at the base of the condom just before Danny collapsed at his side, wincing from the sudden emptiness of not having the SEAL inside him. With shaky fingers, the brunette quickly removed the used condom, tied it off, and tossed it in the wastebasket next to the bed. Before his limbs completely gave up on him, he stretched back out on the bed, his left hand landing on Danny’s stretched out thigh.

 

“We should…we should…,” Danny gasped breathlessly.

 

“In a minute,” Steve said just as breathlessly, his fingers twitching against Danny’s skin. The room smelled like beach and sex and cum and sweat, and he knew they needed to at least do a cursory wipe-down, but he couldn’t seem to move anymore. As soon as he gained full control of his faculties, he’d get right on the cleanup, he swore he would. For now? Maybe it was time to bask, just for a minute.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kudos and Comments always appreciated!


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, a very public THANK YOU to my dearest friend and Beta, bxbori1981. Whenever I worry about content and flow, she's there to boost me up and ensure I keep going down the path my Muse has set. Enjoy, guys!

The sun was completely down by the time Steve had the energy to move again. Danny lay fast asleep next to him, a hand wrapped loosely around his bicep, his face relaxed. Steve took the time to watch him, astounded that they’d reached this point. Their argument from the night before felt like it was a lifetime ago. That Danny had been the one to initiate sex shouldn’t have been as much of a surprise as it had been, but the SEAL was glad for it.

 

In all his time in the Navy, the most he’d ever risked with a male partner was a handjob here, a blowjob there, maybe even frottage with the right guy. He’d never cared enough to attempt actual intercourse. And as much as he loved sex with women, he knew that taking that step with the right man would exceed even the highest of expectations.

 

Sex with Danny? Right didn’t seem to even cover it. Beyond the physical release of the act, Steve had felt something knit together in his very soul that he hadn’t even known was broken. Danny accepted him, truly _accepted_ him. Being able to finally take the step into having a physical relationship just seemed…perfectly natural. Steve couldn’t remember any experience that had ever felt so _right_ , not even when he’d finally earned his trident.

 

“I can feel you staring, ya know,” Danny murmured, his fingers tightening around Steve’s bicep as he emerged into wakefulness, “It’s weird.”

 

“Only in the movies,” Steve murmured in return, stroking his slightly sweaty thigh.

 

Danny smirked and moved closer to him, his hand drifting across the SEAL’s chest until he could clutch his ribs. He settled back into the bed and dropped soft kisses against Steve’s shoulder. “How do you feel?” he asked softly.

 

“Shouldn’t I be asking you that?” Steve asked leaning back slightly to see him a little better, “I didn’t…. It wasn’t, um…, too rough?”

 

“Not made o’ glass, babe. Besides, I vaguely recall askin’ you to go harder,” Danny said devilishly, laughing outright at the red tint of his boyfriend’s cheeks. Steve rolled his eyes and turned his gaze to the ceiling.

 

“I’m fine, Steven. Feel better than I have in months,” Danny murmured against his skin, “What about you?”

 

“I’m good, Danno. I could use a shower, though,” the brunette answered picking at the dried mess on his stomach. He gasped when Danny straddled him, though his fingers rested lightly on his hips. They locked eyes, and Steve couldn’t remember ever seeing his boyfriend this happy outside of his role as a father.

 

“You should’ve told me that was your first time, ya know,” Danny said quietly, “Before we got started.”

 

Steve took a deep breath and looked away, suddenly uncomfortable with their positions. He didn’t want to make a big deal out of this. He could feel the blonde’s eyes boring into the side of his face, though, and his body started trembling without his consent.

 

“Remember what I said about words?” Danny asked softly, not moving from atop him, “I’m not gonna give you shit about it, I just…. Why me?”

 

Steve looked back at him in confusion. “What do you mean, why you?” he asked, his brows furrowed.

 

“I don’t wanna make any assumptions, babe, but I’m guessing that, even with DADT in place, you got your rocks off with a guy or two somehow, someway,” Danny said, “And that’s perfectly okay. There’s nothing wrong with getting affection when and where you can, even in the military.”

 

Steve sighed and looked away again, his face flushing in embarrassment. He moved his hands from Danny’s hips, his breaths coming faster as he tried to think of a way to get out of this situation. It was the restaurant all over again.

 

“I need to clean up,” he whispered, still not looking at the blonde.

 

Danny sighed heavily and kissed at his cheek, but Steve pulled back from the touch instinctively. Danny carefully moved from atop him, and Steve practically scrambled from the bed and into the bathroom, slamming the door shut behind him.  He turned on the shower and stepped in before it could completely warm up, shuddering as the cold water jolted his system.

 

_You got your rocks off with a guy or two somehow_. What the hell was that supposed to mean, Steve wondered painfully. Did Danny expect him to be as experienced with guys as the SEAL seemed to be with women, was he supposed to have tried everything under the sun before they got together? He wasn’t exactly inexperienced in certain things, but Danny had made it sound like he should’ve banged the entire fleet before they met.

 

The bathroom door eased open, and Danny called out, “Steve…? Babe, you--.”

 

“I’ll be out in a minute,” Steve said gruffly, picking up the soap bar and rubbing it roughly over his stomach and arms. He needed to be moving; the nervous energy coursing through him demanded it, and it was better to simply go on with his shower as opposed to a 5-mile swim after sunset.

 

“I was, um, I was thinkin’ I…. Maybe I should just go home, I mean, I don’t have anything….”

 

Steve yanked back the shower curtain, his eyes wide with open fear. They hadn’t argued, but he suddenly felt like Danny was seeking the fastest way out possible. Danny’s face was mostly blank, but Steve could see the worry in his eyes. Worried that he’d pushed too far, or worried that Steve regretted what they’d just done, he couldn’t tell.

 

“Please don’t leave…,” he whispered breathlessly.

 

Danny hesitated a moment too long, and Steve’s face crumpled, his shoulders dropping, feeling as if the weight of the world had just been set on his back. He went to slide the shower curtain back, but the blonde slowly moved forward to stop him.

 

“Mind if I join you?” he asked quietly.

 

Steve stepped back under the spray, and Danny eased his way into the empty space, loosening the SEAL’s grip on the curtain and pulling it closed. Steve was glad for the now-hot water bearing down on him, because it hid the tears he was desperately trying to stop. Danny reached up and cupped his face, his eyes cataloguing the pain Steve just couldn’t hide.

 

“What’d I say wrong?” Danny asked.

 

“Nothing,” Steve answered, his jaw clenching against the blonde’s touch, not moving to touch him in return.

 

“Please don’t lie to me, Steven,” the blonde whispered, tilting his head knowingly.

 

“I’m n--. It’s you because it-it couldn’t have been anybody else,” Steve whispered shaking against his hands, “I never…. Nobody’s ever gotten close enough. Nobody ever wanted to get close enough. I… _I_ never wanted to let anybody get close enough. It was too dangerous.”

 

Danny carefully pulled him into a hug, sighing when Steve’s arms latched around his waist, his whole body shaking now. He stroked the back of his head, dropped a soft kiss on his temple, and said, “As long as you want me, babe, I’m here to stay.”

 

Steve whimpered softly and pulled him even closer. Danny couldn’t promise him that he’d stay, because everybody he’d ever had the courage to care about…

 

“Shhh, it’s okay, Steve, it’s alright, I’m here,” Danny murmured, “I’m not goin’ anywhere, I promise. And you know I don’t make promises like these easy.”

 

Steve sniffled against his neck and nodded jerkily, unable to convince his arms to loosen their grip. Danny, though, waited patiently, even as the water beating down on them started turning lukewarm. In another few minutes, it was going to be as cold as when Steve first started the shower. It was usually the reason he kept up his “Navy shower” premise.

 

Sniffling once more, he slowly straightened back up, a wide yawn escaping his lips. Danny smirked and grabbed the bar of soap from his hand, starting to lather up Steve’s chest. Steve felt his cheeks burn, but Danny kept his focus. After he’d bathed him thoroughly, he motioned for the SEAL to exit the tub.

 

“I’ll be right behind you. Do you maybe have something I can wear that won’t make me look like a teenager?” Danny asked grinning.

 

“Yeah,” Steve said tiredly, his body suddenly feeling about 50 pounds heavier. His eyes drooped, and he left the bathroom sluggishly. It took all his remaining energy to slip on a pair of boxer briefs, and he vaguely remembered to leave out a pair of sleep pants for his boyfriend before he climbed under the covers. He was asleep before the shower even turned off.

 

Danny emerged from the bathroom just a few minutes later, almost glad for the evening heat still present in Steve’s bedroom. The water had turned freezing cold right at the end of his shower, so he doubted he’d wear much to bed besides whatever pants or shorts Steve had left out for him. At the sight of Steve sprawled out fast asleep in the middle of the bed, he couldn’t help but snort. The man was an absolute caveman, he could get it certified by a local archaeologist.

 

Danny took a minute to just look at him, his eyes noting the absence of all things stressful in his sleep. The blonde wished he could keep that look on his boyfriend’s face all the time, especially outside of work. Steve suddenly shifted onto his left side, still asleep, but curling up slightly as if he knew Danny was done with his shower and would like some space in the bed to also sleep.

 

Danny grabbed the sleep pants the SEAL left out for him, slipped them on, and moved to the now-empty side of the large bed. He tried to get in without waking the brunette, but Steve’s eyes shot open the moment he put weight on the mattress.

 

“Easy, easy, it’s just me,” Danny murmured sliding under the thin sheet. Steve stared at him blankly for a moment before shifting closer, until Danny’s arm came around his shoulders tightly. Danny dropped a soft kiss to his forehead, settling into the mattress and hiding a yawn in his pillow.

 

“You’ll be here…in the morning?” Steve asked against his chest, his feet slowly connecting with Danny’s until their legs interlocked in a surprisingly comfortable position.

 

“Course I will. Might even make you breakfast again,” Danny answered grinning against his forehead.

 

Steve snorted softly and relaxed once more, but whispered, “I love you, Danny.”

 

“Love you more, babe. Go back to sleep, okay? I got ya,” Danny whispered back, his hand moving in soothing circles over the back of the SEAL’s neck. Steve’s soft snoring followed shortly after, and the blonde let out a soft sigh of relief. It had been a tough 24 hours for the both of them, but he’d go through hell and high water just to have moments like these. His eyes drifted shut, and he followed Steve into the land of dreams.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I. Am. So. Sorry. For. The. Wait.
> 
> Guys, when I say life has been crazy the past month, it's been CRAZY. A bunch of life changes, a couple milestones, three jobs, etc., caused my Muse to just take off on me. I finally talked her into coming back this week, so we could maybe get this story finished before, I don't know, the end of the next lunar cycle or somethin'. Hope you all enjoy this chapter!

Danny awoke first the next morning, only because it seemed like he was covered in Navy SEAL. Steve’s face was tucked against his neck, the brunette’s soft breaths coming in hot puffs against his skin. The man’s right arm was draped across his chest, his hand clutching tightly at Danny’s opposite shoulder. Even Steve’s right leg was draped over his thigh. It was like he was making sure Danny couldn’t leave the bed without him knowing.

 

Danny tried to shift to at least get his leg free, but Steve moved with him, groaning sleepily before settling even more securely against him. “Hey, come on, let me up, you animal,” Danny grumbled reaching up to pry the brunette’s hand loose from his shoulder.

 

“Wh’re ya go’n?” Steve mumbled in response, his fingers tightening against the blonde’s skin as he moved even closer until he was all but using his boyfriend as the bed. Danny groaned at the additional weight before letting out a put-upon sigh and relaxing back into the mattress. He felt Steve smirk against his neck, and poked him in the side in return.

 

Steve flinched away from the aggravation, lifting his head and blinking blearily until he could focus on Danny’s eyes. “There a problem?” he asked quietly.

 

“Just this little issue of a 200-pound Navy SEAL using me as a mattress, but nothin’ major, nope, not at all,” Danny retorted as Steve completely straddled him, most of his weight now resting on his own knees instead of the blonde’s body.

 

“Better?” Steve murmured with a lazy smile, nuzzling at the stubble that had come in overnight on Danny’s cheeks.

 

“Little bit,” Danny whispered as Steve mouthed at his jawline, the brunette’s tongue coming into play as he moved further down towards his neck, “You’re, um…e-eager this mornin’.”

 

“Slept late. Didn’t go swimming. Gotta burn the excess energy,” Steve said lowering his hips until he rested over Danny’s crotch, which was quickly becoming interested.

 

“Oh…that’s, um, that’s interesting,” Danny moaned, arching up against the feel of Steve nibbling across his collarbones. He gently caressed Steve’s sides, his hands drifting over exposed skin until he reached his broad shoulders.  As Steve focused on apparently marking up his shoulders, Danny took the advantage and flipped him onto his back, laughing at the obvious shock on his boyfriend’s face.

 

“I was doin’ a thing there,” Steve grumbled, his lips downturned in a pout that shouldn’t have been as cute as Danny found it. Danny leaned down and pecked at his lips before pulling off completely and climbing from the bed.

 

“Danny!” Steve all but whined, perching up on his elbows and glaring at him with narrowed eyes.

 

“Coffee first, then nookie,” Danny said moving into the bathroom and shutting the door in the SEAL’s still shocked face.

 

Steve groaned and eyed his half-hard cock as though it had failed him in this very important mission before flopping back onto the mattress, turning on his side and burying his face in the pillow Danny had slept on. Instead of turning him on even more, his boyfriend’s scent relaxed him so much, he resettled in his previous position, hoping the blonde actually rejoined him once he was done in the bathroom. The SEAL could get used to this sleeping-in thing.

 

When Danny finally emerged from the bathroom, he couldn’t fight the smile on his face. Steve was fast asleep, practically buried underneath Danny’s pillow. The blonde quietly exited the room and made his way downstairs, taking the opportunity to drink his coffee in the peaceful stillness of the McGarrett home. Once he was sufficiently caffeinated, he set about making breakfast.

 

Nearly an hour later, Danny carefully crept up the stairs with a tray full of food and two mugs of coffee carefully balanced. When he nudged the bedroom door open, he wasn’t surprised to see Steve now stretched out on his back, one arm over his eyes, the other clutching tightly to the blonde’s pillow. Danny shook his head in mild amusement and eased the door shut behind him.

 

 “Smells good,” Steve murmured peeking out from under his arm.

 

“Well, I would hope so. I take my culinary skills very seriously,” Danny said motioning with his head for Steve to sit up, “Get comfy, babe.”

 

“Breakfast in bed? What’d I do to earn this?” the SEAL asked stuffing the pillow in his hands behind him and scooting back until he could sit Indian style. Danny set the tray down in front of him, then settled down on the mattress. Steve went straight for the coffee, taking a long gulp before sighing contentedly.

 

“You really are an animal,” Danny said chuckling softly and uncovering their plates. Two large omelets gave off steam, the smell of eggs and vegetables and what Steve would bet money was the bacon Danny had snuck into his refrigerator a couple weeks ago.

 

“You didn’t answer my question,” Steve said once half his coffee was gone. He licked his lips and set the cup down, picking up the fork instead and immediately digging into the fluffy omelet. Danny waited until he’d taken the first bite, smiling at the soft groan of satisfaction his boyfriend released.

 

“I told you the other night, you’ve worked yourself ragged the past few months. I wanted to spoil you a little bit this whole weekend,” he finally said starting on his own omelet, “I don’t know if you have anything you wanna get done today, but I figured we could just…turn our phones off, hang out, and see what the day brings us.”

 

“Turn our phones off? What if--.”

 

“Nope. We’re off duty until 7:00 tomorrow mornin’. You told Chin and Kono you wouldn’t call them the whole weekend. I think the citizens of Oahu can do the same for us,” Danny countered.

 

Steve sighed heavily and eyed his plate. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d actually just taken a day for himself. Even going on the hike with Danny yesterday, he’d made sure his phone was charged and powered on in case Duke or the governor sent a case his way. Vacation time, even on the weekends, applied to everyone else, not him. It was just the way he was built; he couldn’t be idle when he knew there was work to be done.

 

“Get outta your head, babe. Just for a day? Please?” Danny asked quietly, his eyes bright with hope and care and a deep love Steve would have to be blind to miss.

 

“Yeah…, okay, Danno,” he whispered reaching over and turning off his cell phone. He even put it in the nightstand drawer next to his gun, sliding it shut while gazing at Danny. The blonde grinned and said, “Good. Thank you. I promise I’ll make it worth it.”

 

Steve raised his eyebrows exaggeratedly and grinned. “Oh, really?” he asked huskily.

 

“Your mind lives in the gutter, I swear it does,” Danny said laughing and shaking his head.

 

Steve chuckled as well and relaxed into the mattress, letting the peacefulness of the morning settle into his bones. He’d give Danny this to make the man happy. He’d give him _everything_ to make him happy, even it was just something as simple as turning off his phone.

 

After both men had finished eating, Danny moved the tray to the dresser and came back to the bed, leaning over Steve and capturing his mouth in a deep kiss. Steve gasped and immediately gripped at his waist, moaning softly as Danny took complete control and dominated the kiss, his hands moving up through the brunette’s hair and scratching at his scalp.

 

Danny groaned as he licked and sucked on the SEAL’s tongue, his skin heating as Steve simply allowed him this power over him. He straddled his hips, and Steve stretched his legs out and let his hands smooth over Danny’s bared torso. Danny nibbled on his lips and whispered, “I wanna try somethin’….”

 

“Anything you want,” Steve murmured against his mouth.

 

Danny smirked and pushed gently at his shoulders until Steve rested back on the pillows. The grin on the brunette’s face spoke volumes; Steve was genuinely happy to do anything his boyfriend could or would throw his way. Knowing he was the cause of that happiness filled the blonde with a sense of power he hadn’t known he was capable of feeling.

 

Danny leaned down and placed his hands on either side of the SEAL’s head, gazing into Steve’s dark blue eyes and wondering just how he’d gotten this damn lucky. Steve’s cheeks tinted pink at the intense look on his boyfriend’s face, and his lips twitched somewhat nervously.

 

“Is this thing you wanna try just…seeing how long we can stare at each other?” he asked softly, trailing his fingertips over Danny’s thighs, feeling the muscles tense under the fabric of his sleep pants.

 

Danny licked his lips and said, “I…I didn’t think I’d ever love anybody again, Steve. Not after…not after Rachel. Then you show up and it’s like this thing, this person I didn’t even know I was missing just…slotted into my life like it had always been there. Like _you_ had always been there.”

 

Steve’s jaw dropped slightly at the whispered confession, and his fingers tightened around the blonde’s thighs. Danny continued in that same soft tone, his gaze moving over Steve’s face in something like disbelief.

 

“I know we’ve only been together a few months, but…it’s like I’ve known you my whole life, babe. I barely remember what life was like without you,” he said, “I know I said it last night, but…I’m so honored that you allowed me to be your first. That’s…. That trust? It’s everything to me.”

 

Steve felt his eyes burn, and he dropped his gaze to Danny’s chin. Danny lowered until his lips brushed the SEAL’s ear, and he whispered, “I love you, Steven McGarrett. And I’m really, really fuckin’ happy that you love me, too.”

 

Danny slowly mouthed over his jaw, making his way back towards Steve’s lips, grinning as he felt the SEAL gradually relax under him. The blonde flicked his tongue against the seam of Steve’s lips, moaning softly when Steve let him in immediately, his arms coming to rest on Danny’s muscled shoulders.

 

Steve let out a satisfied sigh as Danny shifted and settled between his legs, their lips never breaking. Danny slipped his right hand into Steve’s underwear, biting gently at his bottom lip as he encircled his length with a firm grip.

 

The SEAL jerked up into his touch, grunting in frustration when Danny merely held him in place. “What the fuck are you doin’?” he gasped.

 

“Told you I wanted to try somethin’, didn’t I?” Danny murmured against his lips, licking at his mouth without actually kissing him.

 

“I-I thought you, um – ugh, fuck, Danny, move,” Steve half-moaned, his chest heaving in anticipation.

 

“Thought I what, babe?” the blonde said instead, moving down to lick and nibble at that one spot beneath Steve’s jaw that practically turned him into putty. Steve shuddered under him, and his cock twitched in Danny’s hand.

 

“Thought you’d…fuck…I don’t even know anymore, I’m sure it was somethin’ witty,” Steve snapped out snarkily, pulling his feet up to attempt to get leverage.

 

Danny chuckled softly and finally released him, leaning over the bed and retrieving the lube from the nightstand. “You trust me, right?” he asked looking back to Steve, only a slight worry creasing his forehead.

 

Steve grinned somewhat sheepishly and simply responded, “How do you want me, Danny?”

 

Danny flushed red and struggled to answer right off. _Every way I can think of in the next six hours, recovery period be damned_ , he thought shamelessly, his eyes roving over every bared inch of the SEAL’s body. He swallowed thickly and, in a raspy voice already heavy with desire, said, “Just…just like that, babe.”

 

He carefully moved back over Steve’s body, every motion slow and deliberate, as if he was afraid of spooking the SEAL. He settled back between his legs and panted heavily against his mouth as they slowly rocked together.

 

“Kiss me, Danno,” Steve murmured, his eyes half-lidded and midnight blue with lust. Danny groaned softly and captured his mouth, plunging his tongue between Steve’s parted lips and pressing their hips harder together. Steve grabbed at his sides, trying to pull him even closer, his thighs gripping tightly against the blonde’s waist.

 

Danny pulled away, but only to trace his tongue down Steve’s throat, suckling and biting and laving over the shining skin salty with a thin layer of sweat. He stopped at the right nipple, mouthing and nipping at it until the SEAL was trembling under him. He continued moving lower, moaning softly as Steve’s cloth-covered erection dragged against his skin.

 

Steve lifted his hips almost before Danny even got his hands on his underwear, biting at his bottom lip as Danny slowly slid them down his long legs. His erection laid heavily against his lower belly, his balls already tight in anticipation.

 

“Fuck, you are so goddamned beautiful,” Danny gasped squeezing his thighs hard, digging into the thick muscle as he fought the urge to just drive into his boyfriend, gentleness be damned. What made it worse was he knew Steve would probably let him, just to make him happy. At that thought, Danny took a slow, deep breath, and let it out even slower through his mouth.

 

“Hands and knees,” he finally said once he managed to calm down. Steve flushed and exhaled sharply before scrambling to the requested position. He couldn’t seem to catch his breath, and his muscles were locked tight around his bones. He groaned when he felt Danny shift around behind him, almost yelping when Danny’s head slowly appeared between his legs, the blonde dragging his tongue over the bottom of the SEAL’s balls and up his cock.

 

“I want you to fuck my mouth, babe,” Danny murmured flicking his tongue against Steve’s leaking cock, “That okay?”

 

Steve groaned in answer and reached down, slowly guiding himself into the blonde’s open mouth. Both men moaned loudly, and the SEAL carefully moved his hips back and forth. Danny quickly squeezed a dollop of lube onto his right hand, dropped the bottle, and reached up towards Steve’s ass.

 

Steve jumped at the cold liquid, shuddering at the feel of Danny’s fingers circling his hole. “Oh, God…Danny!” he gasped rocking back into the touch. Danny smiled around his length, his tongue caressing the heavy weight with each downward stroke. His finger caught on the rim of Steve’s ass, and Steve stopped moving instinctually.

 

Danny carefully eased his finger inside, and Steve’s breath hitched in his throat. The SEAL’s fingers tightened around the bedspread, his knuckles white with the force of his grip. Danny pushed against the SEAL’s hip with his left hand, silently encouraging him to keep moving, and Steve shuddered above him, choking out a groan as pleasure pooled in his gut.

 

“You’re killin’ me here,” Steve managed to grit out, his hips rocking into the heavenly wetness of the blonde’s mouth and back against his finger. Danny moaned softly and pressed his finger deeper inside his boyfriend, encouraging him to relax and accept the intrusion. He felt the muscles slowly loosen, even as Steve pressed deeper into his mouth.

 

“Mmm, fuck, your mouth, so good, baby,” the SEAL moaned steadily pumping his hips. Danny added more lube to his fingers before carefully pressing two fingers inside the SEAL. Steve’s cock twitched against the roof of his mouth, and he groaned his pleasure as he pressed back against Danny’s hand. “God, I can’t wait – fuck, this is – shit, babe, harder,” he groaned as the blonde pressed deeper inside him, his fingers spreading the lube and stretching his hole open.

 

Danny pulled his head back until Steve’s cock fell from his mouth, and he whispered, “Harder, huh?”

 

Steve nodded vehemently and pressed back against his fingers, his mouth hanging open in a silent moan. Danny smirked and circled his fingers each time he pressed inside, searching for that sensitive bundle of nerves every man had. Steve’s sudden garbled scream told him he’d found it.

 

“Oh, shit!” Steve grunted jolting against him, the head of his cock brushing against Danny’s lips.

 

“Like that, huh?” Danny whispered stroking against the spongy muscle, and Steve shot up, his weight entirely on his knees now. Somehow managing to keep his fingers against Steve’s prostate, Danny inched his way up until Steve was hovering over his thighs. Steve’s eyes were squeezed shut, and his hands landed on Danny’s shoulders as soon as the blonde was upright.

 

“We’re gonna get this first one outta the way, so you’re nice and relaxed for me,” Danny murmured wrapping his free arm around Steve’s waist, “Sound good?”

 

“God, anything you want, Danny, _anything_ , just – ah, shit, yes, _fuck_ , right there,” Steve choked out as Danny began fingering him with an obsessive zeal. He rocked his hips back into the touch, his muscles tightening with each downward motion. Danny locked onto a patch of skin at the base of his neck, moaning deeply as his own cock ached and twitched in anticipation.

 

“Fuck, Danny, please!” Steve gasped, squeezing Danny’s shoulders so tightly, the blonde knew there’d be bruises.

 

Danny found the SEAL’s prostate again and pressed hard, clutching Steve to him as he felt the taller man’s cock jolt between them. Steve screamed so loud, the blonde was certain his neighbors heard him. Wet cum suddenly splashed against his chest, and he bit down hard on the skin in his mouth as the SEAL shook almost violently in his hold.

 

Steve finally collapsed onto his lap, practically dead weight, his chest heaving like he’d just finished a marathon run. Danny planted soft kisses against his sweaty throat and jaw as he carefully removed his fingers from the brunette’s hole. Steve shuddered against him at the feel, still clutching at his shoulders like a lifeline.

 

“I got ya, babe, I got ya,” Danny whispered as his fingers finally pulled free, and he wiped the excess lube on the bedspread, his other hand moving in soothing circles over the SEAL’s back. Steve trembled in his arms, though Danny wasn’t sure if it was leftover adrenaline or something deeper.

 

After a few long moments, he quietly asked, “You okay, huh? Was it too much?”

 

Steve’s face was tucked into his neck, and he was sniffling wetly. _Too far too fast_ , Danny thought despondently, trying to wait until Steve could verbalize what he was feeling. The sound of the ocean crept through the windows, and the SEAL slowly relaxed against him.

 

Nearly a minute passed before Steve managed to stopped shaking, and his hands slid from Danny’s shoulders, landing at his sides. His mind had finally stopped racing in half-formed, disjointed thoughts of _Jesus Christ_ and _Do anything for him_ and even _Sell my soul for this to never end_. He let out a long, slow breath, nuzzling at the side of Danny’s throat as the blonde’s hands moved soothingly over his back.

 

Danny pressed a soft kiss to the side of his head, and murmured, “You back with me, babe?”

 

It took every bit of focus left in his exhausted body for Steve to even lift his head. He blinked blearily before their eyes locked, his lips twitching until the biggest smile the blonde had ever seen stretched across his face.

 

“That was…that was…,” Steve whispered in awe, his eyes dropping as his cheeks flushed red.

 

Danny smirked and said, “Yeah. It was.”

 

Steve turned his face back up, but just as their lips touched, Danny’s phone rang from the bedside table. Danny groaned and dropped his head to Steve’s shoulder. He’d asked Steve to disconnect from the world, but he’d forgotten to do the same himself.

 

“It could be Gracie,” Steve murmured. Danny pulled back and stared at him, smiling and shaking his head at his boyfriend’s immediately understanding tone. He pecked his lips before easing Steve off his lap and picking up his phone. His brows furrowed at the unknown number, and he answered, “Detective Williams speaking.”

 

Steve sat up and looked at him in mild surprise. He hadn’t told anybody from HPD that Five-0 was off duty for the weekend, but if Duke couldn’t reach Steve, the next person he’d call would certainly be Danny.

 

“Oh…hi, yeah, no, I remember,” Danny said looking back at Steve, “How are you?”

 

Steve heard a man speaking, but couldn’t hear any words clearly enough to decipher the caller or the purpose behind the call. Danny’s eyes widened slightly, and he said, “Um…hang on a second.”

 

He looked at Steve for a long moment before saying, “It’s Joey…from the bar Friday night. He, um…, he wants to know if you wanna meet up for lunch in a couple hours. He’s, uh, he’s bringing his boyfriend along, so…it’d be kind of a double-date thing.”

 

Steve jerked back in slight shock, scratching somewhat nervously at his jaw. Danny waited patiently, watching as several emotions flickered across the SEAL’s face. When their eyes met again, the blonde had his answer.

 

“Hey, Joey, you still there? Does 2:00 work?” he said into his phone, “Okay, cool, text me the address…. Yeah, no problem…. Uh-huh, see ya then.”

 

Steve stared at his hands until Danny tilted his chin up. He knew the fear and panic in his chest was showing on his face, but he couldn’t bring himself to hide it, not from Danny. He let out a shuddering breath and whispered, “So…two dates in one weekend, huh?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As usual, kudos and comments always appreciated! Also, much public thanks to my wonderful beta, bxbori1981, without whom I would be an emotionally stunted Neanderthal with no one to translate for me. Love you 3,000, babe!


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so, so, SO much for sticking with this story, guys! I promise I haven't given up on it. Life remains a flustercuck, but I'm cajoling my Muse as much as I can. Big, gigantic, HUMONGOUS thanks to bxbori1981 for continuing to believe in this as well. I love you 3,000, babe!

Steve circled Seaside Avenue for what felt like an hour before a vehicle pulled out just a couple stores away from their destination. He let out a breath of relief as he put his truck in park, and he couldn’t miss the playful snort from Danny in the passenger seat.

 

“What? You know as well as I do it’s pretty much impossible to get a decent parking spot in downtown on the weekends,” he said haughtily.

 

“I didn’t say anything!” Danny retorted, his hands up in pure innocence. The smirk on his face, though, belied that innocence.

 

“Your face was yelling it, Danno,” Steve said with his own smirk.

 

Danny just offered a nonchalant shrug and leaned over the center console, pressing a kiss to his cheek before climbing from the truck. Steve’s cheeks tinged hot pink, but he followed his boyfriend out of the vehicle, meeting him on the sidewalk in front of A Big Kahuna Motorcycle Tour & Rentals, eyeing the many bikes in slight confusion.

 

“You sure this is the right place?” he asked as Danny linked their fingers together.

 

Before Danny could answer, the blonde spotted the young HPD recruit waving from just near the top of the second-story entrance to their actual destination. “Yep, this is the place, babe,” he said leading Steve past the motorcycles. Steve’s grip on his hand tightened ever so slightly at the mostly covered entryway, but he followed behind without any other hesitation. Instinct told him he was safe, but he also knew Danny would never take him into a dangerous situation, at least not without forewarning.

 

“Hey, Detective Williams, thanks for coming!” Joey said excitedly before they’d even reached the top of the stairs.

 

“Please, we’re off the clock, it’s Danny, man,” Danny said with an easy smile.

 

“Right, right, of course, yeah, you’re right,” Joey said, this time nervousness all over his light-skinned features.

 

“You got a table already, I’m assuming?” Danny asked.

 

“Yeah, yeah, Tom, that’s my boyfriend, he’s holding it for us. I told him I’d wait outside, ‘cause I didn’t know if you’d been to Tapa’s before, so…and, I mean, it’s kinda hard to find if you’ve never been, so yeah, I just--.”

 

“You’re worse than he is with the rambling. Come on, let’s get some food, bud,” Danny said motioning with his head towards the bar’s front door. Joey quickly opened the door and let them pass through first. Danny actually had been to Tapa’s a few times, but he preferred the relative privacy of Kemo’o’s place.

 

Joey moved cautiously by Steve once the door shut, leading them to the back of the open-aired restaurant. Their table didn’t have a spectacular view, but it didn’t make any of the men feel hemmed in by their surroundings, either.

 

The dirty blonde man already at the table stood with a tentative smile, reaching out to shake Danny’s free hand. “Name’s Tom. I’m gonna assume you’re Detective Williams,” he said politely.

 

“I prefer Danny when my badge isn’t on, but yeah, that’s me. And this mute lug is my partner, Steve,” Danny said shaking his hand with a friendly smile, “Appreciate the invitation.”

 

Steve snorted somewhat indignantly at Danny’s barb, but he at least offered a small smile and nod of acknowledgment. “This is a real tucked away spot,” he said eyeing the other tables, all filled with smiling, satisfied customers.

 

“It’s actually pretty packed in here for a Sunday afternoon,” Joey said easing down beside his boyfriend, still tense under Steve’s wary stare, “Um…, we can…go somewhere else if--.”

 

“It’s fine, Joey,” Danny said sitting down across from the other couple, unceremoniously pulling Steve down into the empty seat next to him, “Sit down, you animal.”

 

“They’re gonna think you’re an abusive boyfriend, Danno,” Steve quipped eyeing the blonde fondly. For some reason, as soon as he was seated, it felt like the most natural place for him to be in that moment. Danny’s easygoing presence, his hand steady around the SEAL’s wrist, the way he just took everything in stride when it came to their relationship…. Steve was seeing him in a brand new light, and not just because of their activities that morning.

 

Danny had been right when he’d said Steve needed to be more confident in himself, but not as a law enforcement officer. Being bisexual wasn’t the end-all/be-all of how he was made, but it was a significant part that he'd spent practically his entire life hiding from the world. Maybe he really was ready to actually start embracing it.

 

“Shall I list all the ways in which _you_ are the abusive one, Steven?” Danny asked with a playful glint. He’d watched several microexpressions cross over the brunette’s face in the span of just a few seconds, and each one filled his heart to bursting. Steve probably would never be as out and proud as Danny was (old habits and all that), but the detective knew his boyfriend was at least finally on the path to accepting himself.

 

“Wow…. You guys really do act like you’re married. I thought it was just rumors,” Joey said grinning shyly, “It’s really cool to see it in person.”

 

“Like this guy needs reason to have an even bigger ego,” Danny joked in response, releasing Steve’s wrist but habitually resting his hand on his thigh under the table.

 

“I’m good, Danny. Really,” Steve said softly.

 

“Yeah…?” the blonde asked somewhat hesitantly. It seemed he might have his own habits to work on breaking as well. Steve’s lips twitched and he gave a short nod, picking up the menu from in front of him.

 

“So, what do you suggest, Joey?” Steve asked looking towards the young officer-in-training.

 

After they’d put in their drink and entrée orders, Steve settled his left arm around the back of Danny’s chair, running his fingers mindlessly over the blonde’s opposite shoulder. Danny’s cheeks tinged the slightest shade of pink as he eyed his boyfriend in barely hidden shock. Steve merely shrugged and turned his attention to the other couple.

 

“So how’s the academy treatin’ you, Joey? You been there long?” he asked politely.

 

“Uh, no, sir, not that long, really,” Joey started, trailing off when Steve shook his head.

 

“We’re havin’ a meal together, man. Call me Steve…, please,” the SEAL said, “And…sorry about the other night.”

 

“Oh, that’s – you don’t have to…. That was….,” Joey stuttered out.

 

This time, Tom chuckled and said, “Your man-crush is showing, darling.”

 

Both Joey and Steve flushed red, and Danny decided to make it even worse for Steve. He smirked and said, “It’s alright, Joey, I’m pretty sure this goofball had a man-crush on me from the first day we met.”

 

“Says the guy who damn near broke my jaw that very same day,” Steve sniped back immediately, his eyes crinkling, “What was it for you, love at first fight?”

 

The group broke out in raucous laughter as their server delivered their drinks. The SEAL settled even further into his chair, his heart practically fluttering when Danny’s hand once more landed on his thigh. This time, he knew it wasn’t his usual habitually comforting gesture, but just a subconscious need to be touching him. Danny was just as happy as he was to be able to simply enjoy a meal as a couple, with no fear of being judged by their counterparts or anyone around them.


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I seriously can't thank you guys enough for your patience. I like to think I'm not forcing this story out, but I'm definitely wrangling my Muse to cooperate, whether she wants to or not. :)

“I need to run back to my place, but I won’t be longer than a few hours,” Danny said as Steve pulled into his driveway, “Just need to air out the place, get some laundry done, that kinda stuff.”

 

“You comin’ back?” Steve asked, trying and failing not to sound so hopeful.

 

“Yes, Steven, I’ll be back before the sun goes down,” the blonde answered with a smirk.

 

Steve rolled his eyes playfully as he parked, climbing out before his burning cheeks gave him away even more. “Okay,” he said heading for the front door.

 

“What, no goodbye kiss?” Danny asked perching over the Camaro driver’s side door. Steve looked back at him with a grin before coming over to him. He cupped his cheeks and captured his mouth, groaning softly when Danny clutched at his forearms.

 

When they finally broke apart, both men were breathing heavily. “Sure you need to go?” the SEAL murmured, his eyes glued to the blonde’s swollen lips.

 

“Yeah…, I need to go, babe, especially if I want clean underwear for the week,” Danny smirked, “I’m sure you’ve got some stuff you wanna get done this afternoon, too.”

 

“More like someone,” Steve said softly.

 

“I got it. Smooth Dog is an oxymoron, isn’t it? A joke, yeah? Maybe even a teasing reminder of just how much of a dork you actually are?” Danny said, laughter apparent in his voice. Steve rolled his eyes again and pecked his lips once more before moving back towards his home.

 

“See ya later, Danno,” he said over his shoulder, winking exaggeratedly. Danny merely shook his head and climbed into his car. Sure, Steve was a dork, but he was _his_ dork.

 

Steve headed up to his room and quickly stripped the linen. He had a few loads of clothes to wash as well, but the linens were the priority. While they were in the washing machine, he got his room and en suite cleaned to his usual standard, as well as the guest bedroom and upstairs hall bathroom. It hadn’t been used since Grace’s last weekend over, but it was a habit to do a deep cleaning once a month.

 

The next few hours zoomed by as he took care of the usual household errands, and he even managed to read a few chapters of a new military thriller Danny had gotten him for an early birthday gift. As the sun slowly began to ease towards the horizon, his cell phone vibrated on the living room table, and he quickly picked it up.

 

_On my way back. U hungry?_

Steve smirked and quickly thumbed a response, _Nah, I’m still mostly good from lunch. U?_

 

The phone rang, and Steve smiled broadly. He knew how much Danny hated texting. “Can I help you?” he spoke as innocently as he could manage, but he ended up snorting anyway.

 

“Asshole. You know I hate texting more than I have to. Anyway, I need you to do somethin’ for me,” Danny said backing out of his parking spot in front of his apartment building.

 

“Name it,” Steve said automatically.

 

“You sure about that?” the blonde asked after a few moments. Steve’s brows furrowed and he was almost to his feet to grab his keys before his brain caught on to his boyfriend’s tone.

 

“What do you need from me, baby?” he asked softly. He heard Danny’s sharp intake of breath, and his own skin flushed. He licked his lips and sat forward on the couch, waiting for his boyfriend to answer.

 

“You get all cleaned up yet?” Danny asked quietly.

 

Steve hesitated to answer, slightly confused about the question since Danny had pretty much known he’d take care of the housekeeping while the blonde was away. “Uh…yeah, the laundry’s all done, as are all the dishes and--.”

 

“Not what I meant, babe,” Danny said simply. When Steve didn’t answer, he enunciated his question, “Did you get… _all cleaned up_ yet?”

 

Steve’s mouth went dry at his boyfriend’s meaning, and he swallowed thickly before murmuring, “Haven’t had a chance to yet, no. Got…got caught up in that, uh, that book you got me.”

 

“Why don’t you take care o’ that? And I don’t mean in under 3 minutes, either,” Danny said smirking, and Steve heard the Camaro’s engine rev as Danny sped up, “See ya soon, babe.” Steve was already halfway up the stairs before the call had even disconnected.

 

Danny pulled into the driveway next to Steve’s truck a mere 15 minutes later. He may or may not have exceeded the speed limit in his journey back, but he’d have been hard-pressed to find any HPD officer willing to pull over the infamous silver Camaro. He grabbed the two small duffel bags he’d brought from home, then hurried inside.

 

The living room was darkened and quiet, the stove light casting a deep orange shadow through the kitchen doorway. Danny gave a cursory look over the living room and attaching office and dining space, only long enough to ascertain his boyfriend wasn’t anywhere downstairs before dashing up to the master bedroom.

 

The shower turned off as he eased the bedroom door open, and he called out to be safe, “Just me, babe.” Sure, Steve knew he was on his way, but the man was still a SEAL at heart, and somebody entering his darkened home without announcing their presence was practically begging for a hospital visit.

 

“Oh! I’ll be out in a minute,” Steve called back hurriedly.

 

“Take your time, really. I need to take care of a few things still,” Danny responded setting the smaller of the duffel bags on the nightstand.

 

“You want me to hide in the bathroom while you do whatever out there?” came the snarky response.

 

“Make it worth your while,” the blonde shot back with a laugh, placing his second duffel bag in the closet. He quickly grabbed a few large towels and a small hand towel from the linen closet in the hallway, then came back and spread them over the bed. He had a feeling things were going to get fairly messy tonight, and he didn’t want Steve to have to change the sheets the same day he’d washed them.

 

Another few minutes passed as he set up the supplies he’d brought from home, his nerves starting to rise along with his temperature. Steve had told him he’d wanted their first time to be special, and it absolutely was the best sex he’d ever had. The Jersey native wanted to do more than just return the favor; he wanted to end their weekend together on the highest note possible.

 

“Alright, babe, come on out,” he said somewhat nervously, stripping down to his boxers, “Leave the towel.”

 

He smiled as he could practically hear Steve’s skin flush from the bathroom. The door slowly cracked open after a long moment, and the SEAL inched out of the bathroom, one hand over his groin as he closed the door behind him. His skin was a bright pink, though whether that was from the shower or being so exposed, Danny couldn’t tell.

 

“Come here, babe,” Danny said softly, holding out a hand with a small grin. Steve immediately latched onto his hand, moving so close, the blonde thought they’d tip over onto the bed. His eyes stayed locked somewhere around Danny’s shoulders, and his cheeks turned a deeper shade of red.

 

“I cleaned up,” he murmured breathlessly, “Everywhere.”

 

“Good. Thank you for doing that,” Danny murmured back, running a soothing thumb over the back of his hand, “You okay?”

 

Steve nodded nervously, but he couldn’t bring himself to make eye contact. When he and Danny had had sex the day before, it was a heat of the moment thing. The shorter man hadn’t given him a chance to even begin to be self-conscious about it, not until they were far enough along that the only thing keeping the SEAL from stopping was the threat of bodily harm from his boyfriend.

 

Standing in front of Danny now, in nothing other than the skin he was born in, was unbelievably nerve-racking. Not even coming out to his sister had been this terrifying. Danny’s hand slipped around his wrist, not forcing him to uncover himself, just…holding him. He let out a shaky breath and slowly lifted his gaze.

 

“We don’t have to do anything you don’t wanna do, Steve. You get that, right? If you wanna get dressed and go downstairs and watch ESPN or the History Channel for a few hours, I’m perfectly okay with that,” Danny said, his brows furrowed with something even deeper than concern. He was honestly worried, Steve could see that clear as day.

 

“No, this is…. I’m so--.”

 

“Don’t. Do not _dare_ apologize. You have boundaries you wanna set, I will not cross them, babe, I promise you that,” Danny cut him off, “We don’t go any further than you want tonight, okay?”

 

“I shouldn’t be this nervous,” Steve blurted out before the blonde could interject again, “But…I am.”

 

“And I’d feel really weird if you _weren’t_ nervous. If anything, I think I’m even more nervous than you are,” Danny admitted, slowly turning them until Steve’s back was to the bed, “But like I said, you say no, or even look like you don’t wanna do somethin’, we stop. That okay?”

 

Steve slowly sat down and looked up at the blonde, letting out another shaky breath before nodding. “I trust you, Danny,” he whispered. Danny’s cheeks tinted pink, and they both felt the tension that had been building suddenly escape them both.

 

“And you have no idea how much that means to me,” the blonde murmured leaning down. Steve tilted his head up to meet him for the kiss, his hands moving to rest at Danny’s waist. They started off slow, barely open-mouthed, until Danny’s tongue flicked against his upper lip. Steve gasped, and Danny didn’t hesitate to slip his tongue inside, groaning softly and inching closer between the SEAL’s parted legs.

 

Danny pulled back after a minute, gasping for air, his lips twitching when Steve nosed at his jaw. “Got a question for you, babe,” he said caressing the brunette’s cheeks, his eyes bright with love.

 

“I’m all ears,” Steve answered, his fingers twitching against the blonde’s hips. His eyes roved over Danny’s face, trying to acknowledge every single pore like he didn’t already have his boyfriend’s face memorized as well as his own.

 

“How many times have you ever cum in a single night?” Danny whispered. Steve’s cheeks flushed under his hands, and his eyes dropped immediately. Danny waited patiently, needing the SEAL to feel comfortable with talking about these things with him. Sex was all fun and good, but communication before, during, and even after was just as important to him.

 

Steve swallowed thickly before finally looking back up. “Twice…even with…,” he whispered.

 

Danny smirked and motioned for him to stretch out on the bed. “Bet I can beat that,” he said, confidence dripping from every word. Steve was counting on it.


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Smut. Nothin' but. Enjoy. ;)

Steve tried to slow his breathing as Danny rummaged in the small black bag on the nightstand. His skin itched with the need to move, to grab the blonde and get this thing started already before his nerves got the better of him. “Aha, got it,” Danny said triumphantly after a few moments.

 

Steve turned to look at him, snorting softly when he spotted the tie in Danny’s hands. “I figured you’d be a kinky bastard,” he said, finally settling down into the mattress with a smile.

 

“It’s not like that at all, actually. Well, kinda, but not really,” Danny said fingering the rainbow tie. Steve had bought it for him nearly four months ago, and he hadn’t worn it since. It was a replacement for a tie that Grace had gotten him, which he’d used to stem blood flow from a gunshot wound Steve had received on the job. Whenever he went to put it on, he couldn’t help but think of that day, and how terrified he’d been when the SEAL had gone down.

 

With shaking hands, he faced the taller man and took a deep breath. It was time to make new memories…better ones. “I’m gonna…put this over your eyes, if that’s okay,” he said locking eyes with Steve, “I just want you to feel for a while.”

 

Steve’s lips twitched up and he said, “As long as I can feel you, Danny, that’s what matters.”

 

Danny carefully moved over him, resting the fabric over his eyes and tying it loosely around the back of his head. “Tighter,” Steve whispered, “You can…you can tie it tighter.” Danny blew out a sharp breath and followed suit, though it took a little bit because his hands were shaking so much.

 

He finally sat down at Steve’s side and let his eyes rove over all that bare skin. The trust Steve showed him while they were working was overwhelming sometimes, but this…his head spun with a combination of power, lust, and complete terror. He carefully picked up Steve’s right hand, caressing and massaging the tendons and joints.

 

“I ever tell you how much I love your hands?” he whispered, “So much power and strength and skill, and yet…you’re one of the biggest softies I’ve ever met. You can probably kill a man a thousand different ways, and yet….” He trailed off and dropped a kiss on each knuckle, then the broad palm before sucking down on the long index and middle fingers.

 

“Oh, Jesus!” Steve groaned out at the sudden wetness, his cock going from half-hard to fully interested in seconds, “Danny – Christ!”

 

Danny moaned as he bobbed his head, fellating the brunette’s fingers as he used his other hand to stroke up and down his forearm. He slowly pulled off and licked at the pads of each finger before resting the hand back on the towel. “Told you I was gonna map your whole body out with my tongue one day,” he whispered leaning down and slowly running his tongue up the top of Steve’s forearm, until he reached the bottom of his tattoo.

 

Steve moaned softly and shuddered under him. “I’m…God, I’m gonna cum if you keep it up,” he groaned out as he felt Danny tracing the outline of his tattoo. Not being able to see him seemed to heighten every single other sense, especially his sense of touch. His nerve endings felt like they’d been doused in gasoline, and Danny’s tongue was the fire feeding on that fuel.

 

Danny finally moved up and over his shoulder, inhaling deeply at a spot just behind Steve’s ear. The smell of the ocean never quite faded from the SEAL’s skin, no matter how long a shower he took. Danny was certain it was embedded in his DNA. “Hope you got a decent recovery time, then,” he murmured hotly in the shell of his ear, flicking his tongue against the lobe before gently nibbling at the loose skin.

 

Steve clamped down on Danny’s forearm as his right hand trailed lightly down his chest, clearly headed south. “Don’t wanna…cum this fast,” he gasped. Danny, though, eased out of his grip just as his mouth captured Steve’s lips and his tongue dived into the opening.

 

Danny gripped his cock and began steadily stroking, matching them with each swipe of his tongue into Steve’s mouth. Steve’s hips began moving of their own accord, and he groaned lowly into Danny’s mouth. Precum eased his strokes, and Steve moaned even deeper, sucking on Danny’s tongue. Steve clutched once more at Danny’s forearm, this time with his left hand, using his right to grip the back of Danny’s head and keep their mouths locked together.

 

“Come on, babe, gimme this first one,” Danny murmured against his lips.

 

“Gah – ah, shit – Danny!” Steve whispered breathlessly, his hips pistoning into the tight hold the blonde had on him. He threw his head back against the pillow as the pleasure pooled into a tight knot in his belly. His mouth fell open and sounds he’d never admit to making escaped through his lips.

 

Danny watched in awe, his hand moving in short jerks over Steve’s cock, his eyes locked on the SEAL’s swollen lips. His boyfriend was a total harlot, and he was looking forward to exploring this side of him in full. Steve’s grip on his forearm tightened almost painfully before his cock jerked, and he was falling over the edge with no other forewarning.

 

Danny kept up his slow strokes until Steve halfheartedly pushed at his hand, his chest heaving, breathing heavily through his open mouth. “You…you cheated,” he managed to gasp out between breaths. Danny chuckled softly and wiped away the mess on his stomach with the hand towel he’d put aside earlier.

 

“Needed to, babe,” Danny said lovingly, planting soft kisses over his face, “Had to get you outta your head for the rest.”

 

Steve flushed red and took a minute to catch his breath, Danny’s left hand gently threading through his damp hair. “I can…only imagine what else you’ve got planned,” he finally spoke as the last of the aftershocks faded away.

 

“Probably not,” Danny said grinning, “Come on, on your stomach. You want me to take the tie off?”

 

“No, ‘s good,” Steve grumbled turning over. More like flopping like a beached fish, but Danny couldn’t blame him. He carefully rearranged the towels under him, then placed Steve’s arms at his sides, palms up. He nuzzled at the palm of his left hand, flicking his tongue against the sweaty skin. Steve shuddered against the teasing touch, groaning softly into the pillow before turning his face towards the blonde.

 

“Gimme a minute or ten, why don’t ya,” he murmured, his lips twitching upwards. Danny smiled against his hand, moving up and grazing over his forearm until he reached the bright green tattoo inked on his left shoulder.

 

“I got ya,” he murmured running a soothing hand over the SEAL’s shoulder blades, “Just relax for me. Take some good deep breaths and focus on my hands for now, yeah?”

 

“Mmm,” Steve hummed, the tension finally leaving his overstimulated body.

 

Danny picked up the unscented (and more importantly, edible) massage oil he’d brought from home, pouring a handful and setting the bottle back on the nightstand. He rubbed his hands together to warm the liquid as he moved down to the foot of the bed. “You still with me, Steve?” he asked, just to make sure his boyfriend hadn’t fallen asleep.

 

“Yeah, Danny…, always,” Steve spoke, his voice rough with anticipation.

 

Danny carefully placed his hands on his right calf, grinning when Steve jumped. He slowly began stroking the smooth, toned muscles, kneading out the tension. When he moved further up the back of his leg, Steve’s breaths picked up. “Love your legs so much, babe, you have no idea,” Danny whispered digging his thumbs in and working the massage oil into his skin, “I didn’t think I had a leg thing until you barreled your way into my life.”

 

Steve groaned softly as Danny switched to the left leg and began the same process, working slowly up from his lower calf to just below his ass. It hadn’t even been five minutes, and he felt his cock trying to stir again. He hadn’t had that kind of recovery time since he was at boarding school. He couldn’t help the choked grunt that tore from his mouth when he felt Danny’s tongue dragging up the back of his right thigh.

 

“God--.”

 

“Told you…I was gonna…map your body out…with my tongue,” Danny murmured, licking broad strokes up one side of his thighs and down the other one.

 

Steve moaned harshly and brought his hands up, clutching at the pillow under him, damn near ripping the pillowcase in two. Danny straddled his calves and nipped at his voluptuous ass, plumping both cheeks while also spreading the massage oil as evenly as he could. He wanted to memorize every inch of his boyfriend’s body, with his tongue as well as his hands.

 

When he moved up to rest on Steve’s ass, the brunette groaned and lifted his hips against the bulge of Danny’s cock. “Easy, babe. Not there just yet,” Danny said pouring more oil onto his hands. He warmed up the liquid once more before resting his hands against Steve’s lower back. By the time they got to the main event, he wanted the SEAL completely relaxed, and there was still a ways to go.

 

“You’re killin’ me, Danny,” Steve moaned as Danny dug into the muscles along his spine, “Your hands should be registered.”

 

Danny chuckled softly and moved up to his trapezius muscles, his thumbs easing the knots of stress that his boyfriend carried on a daily basis. As Steve relaxed under his ministrations, he leaned down and licked at the back of his neck.

 

“Fuck,” Steve groaned, his hips pressing into the mattress this time, “Danny, god, what are you…”

 

“Anticipation is key, Steven,” the blonde murmured working his hands back down his shoulder blades even as he slowly ground down against his ass, “You’re gonna cum again soon, I promise.”

 

“Damn right I am,” Steve shot back, his knuckles white with his grip on the pillow. His cock was definitely showing an interest again, and he could feel the pleasure beginning to thrum through his veins. Even the one night when he’d had two orgasms, there’d been a few hours in between each one. To react this way to Danny’s touches boggled his mind.

 

Danny made his way back down to Steve’s back, this time planting open-mouthed kisses behind the path his hands left. “Up on your knees, but keep your hands where they are,” he murmured against the SEAL’s skin, “You okay with that?”

 

Steve merely moved to the requested position, trying to take deep breaths. He felt the blonde move behind him, but nothing could’ve prepared him for what happened next. Danny’s hands carefully parted his ass cheeks, and licked a slow, teasing stripe across his hole.

 

“Holy shit!” he gasped pressing back immediately, “God, please, Danny!”

 

“Yeah?” Danny murmured easing Steve’s knees further apart with his elbows.

 

“I’ll shoot you if you stop!” Steve snapped, bringing a short bark of laughter from his boyfriend.

 

Danny stretched out on the lower half of the bed, nipping now at the tender skin where Steve’s thighs met his ass. Steve trembled under his hands, and his cock hung hard and heavy between his legs, his balls tightening with every passing moment.

 

Danny mouthed at the heavy sac, breathing in the clean yet inexorably musky scent that was Steve McGarrett. Steve moaned loudly now, his whole body taut yet vibrating. He began mumbling incoherent pleas in between choked out moans, music to the blonde’s ears. The shorter man slowly licked back up to his hole before inching closer and burying his face between those beautiful cheeks.

 

“Ah, fuck! Oh, God, I – oh sweet – fuck, I – Danny, please!” Steve shouted as Danny’s tongue and lips worked in tandem to slowly loosen the tight muscle. Danny’s thumbs dug into the space, spreading him even further, and he stabbed and laved and flicked at Steve’s hole until the SEAL was practically vibrating nonstop.

 

Releasing the right cheek, Danny reached under and gripped his cock, not surprised to find the head wet with precum. Steve’s hips shot forward into the tight hole his fingers created, and Danny followed him with his mouth, never stopping his actions of completely decimating the few barriers still standing between them.

 

“Wanna cum again for me, babe?” he murmured using his left thumb to slowly press into the SEAL’s wet hole alongside his tongue, “Wanna paint this towel with--.”

 

Steve jerked so suddenly with the force of his orgasm, Danny almost lost his grip on his cock. Steve moaned so loudly into the pillow, for so long, the blonde feared he’d damaged his throat. When he finally stopped shuddering from his release, Danny let him go and moved back, letting him work through the aftershocks. He also needed a minute to gather himself, because he’d nearly just cum in his boxers.

 

Steve would’ve sworn his brain had overloaded with that last orgasm, and he needed a minute just to come back to his skin. Every millimeter of his body seemed to be firing off messages of overwhelming stimulation, and he couldn’t seem to catch his breath. The part of the tie covering his eyes suddenly felt mysteriously wet, and he reached up haphazardly to swipe at his forehead, thinking it was sweat.

 

“Hey, babe, hey, you okay?” Danny asked softly, but his voice sounded a thousand miles away, foggy and somewhat unclear. Steve sniffled, then froze. The tie wasn’t wet from sweat, but from…. Danny’s hands landed on his shoulder and upper arm, and his voice was closer this time. “You want me to take the tie off now?” he asked carefully.

 

Steve swallowed thickly and shook his head against the pillow, his breathing finally starting to slow. “I’m good, Danny,” he murmured.

 

“You wanna stop for the night? That was kinda intense…,” Danny said, his mouth downturned with concern, “I didn’t--.”

 

“Is that…all you had planned for me?” Steve asked grinning and rotating his shoulders to work out some of the stiffness.

 

Danny huffed out something between a snort of disbelief and a humorous laugh. “And you call me a kinky bastard,” he whispered, mindlessly stroking through the brunette’s now-drenched hair. Steve gave a half-shrug in response and Danny leaned forward to peck at the corner of his mouth.

 

“Gonna move these towels around, okay?” he said stroking over Steve’s shoulder, then easing the towel out from under him, “You still with me?”

 

“How many times can you ask that in one night?” Steve answered moving to stretch out. Danny stopped him with a hand on his lower back, though, and moved the bottom towel up underneath him.

 

“Alright, there ya go…,” he whispered helping Steve to a prone position, caressing the tense muscles and digging into them to loosen the knots, “Easy, babe, go slow….”

 

Once Steve was on his back, he let out a content sigh, though his hands reached for Danny’s. Danny grinned and linked their fingers together, carefully straddling his hips. Steve groaned lowly as he settled down, though his lips turned down. “Why aren’t you naked yet?” he asked.

 

“Bossy bastard,” Danny grumbled, though he didn’t move from his spot, “Maybe _I_ need a minute or ten, yeah?”

 

The blonde eased his hands up and over Steve’s arms, relishing in the fact that he couldn’t see him. Having the SEAL blindfolded like this gave him a freedom to explore that he wasn’t sure he would otherwise choose. Steve’s breaths deepened as he dragged his fingers slowly over his chest, circling his nipples but not quite touching them.

 

“I could spend the next hour just…lookin’ at you, babe,” he whispered leaning down and brushing his lips across Steve’s brow line, “I know you know…just how good you look in general, but this? This is…. Fuck, I can’t even come up with the right words.”

 

Steve quickly wet his lips and softly said, “I feel like that every day when I look at you.”

 

Danny’s cheeks burned and he rested his elbows down on either side of the SEAL’s head. “You’re such a sweet talker,” he said before pecking gently at his lips, sighing softly as Steve’s fingers drifted across his lower back, right at his waistline.

 

Once more, their kisses started off slow, both men just wanting to relish in the intimacy of the simple act, with no rush to move any further for the time being. The next few minutes passed with no more sounds than heavy breathing, soft moans, and the occasional brush of skin on skin.

 

Steve knew he was a good kisser (it was one of his favorite pastimes), but he had absolutely nothing on Danny. Danny’s tongue seemed to be in several different places at once, even inside his mouth. And his lips owned every inch of Steve’s mouth they covered. He tried to give as good as he was getting, but Danny simply overwhelmed him. The SEAL never thought he’d willingly give up his usually steadfast control, but his boyfriend made him feel so cared for, so loved, so _safe_ , it wasn’t even a thought.

 

When Danny finally felt Steve’s hands beginning to move over his back with more pressure and purpose, he would’ve sworn the heavens had just opened above him and choirs of angels had started singing. He began pressing down against his groin, grinning against the SEAL’s lips when Steve let out a soft groan of desire. “Yeah…?” he breathed against his mouth.

 

“Yes, Danny, yes, a thousand times yes,” Steve moaned in return, pulling on him to force him even closer, “Want you inside me, baby….”

 

Danny shuddered against him, one hand gripping the back of his neck as the kiss turned savage. Steve grunted from deep in his throat, his hips shooting up against the blonde’s crotch. Danny was going to pull a third orgasm out of him, however slow and deliberate it was becoming.

 

Danny slowly pulled away and panted over him, his eyes stayed locked on the brunette’s swollen lips. “I could kiss you forever, babe,” he whispered thumbing at the plump bottom lip. Steve’s tongue peeked out to swipe at the pad, and Danny’s grip on the back of his neck tightened noticeably.

 

Steve swallowed thickly and reached up, lifting the tie methodically until he could remove it completely. His gaze traveled from Danny’s mouth to his dark blue orbs, barely distinguishable from his blown pupils.

 

“I’m done hidin’, Danny,” he whispered.

 

“That wasn’t what that was about, Steve,” Danny said, his brows furrowing, “I just--.”

 

Steve cut him off by pulling him down and pressing their lips firmly together. Danny moaned softly and smiled against his mouth, carefully pulling back once more. His fingers kneaded against the back of Steve’s neck as the taller man spoke once more.

 

“I love you, Daniel Williams…,” Steve said thickly, “I probably won’t say it…half as much as you deserve to hear it, but I do. And I’m through pretending to the world that I’m somethin’ I’m not. If you’ve shown me anything this weekend, it’s…it’s that….”

 

Steve trailed off as his eyes began to burn, and he struggled to find the right words. He loved Danny beyond comprehension, and despite struggling to see himself as the blonde detective did, he was finally beginning to recognize that he was someone worthy of that level of devotion. Danny had accepted him wholly and completely far faster than anyone outside of the Navy – and even a majority of people _in_ the Navy – ever had, and that meant more than he’d ever be able to verbalize.

 

“That what, babe?” Danny pressed gently, his fingers never stopping their soothing motion. Steve sniffled and stroked his ribs, letting out a shaky breath.

 

“That I’m good enough…just the way I am,” he murmured.

 

“Damn right you are,” Danny growled before capturing his mouth once more, his tongue parting the SEAL’s lips with little resistance. Steve moaned and slid his hands down and back to Danny’s ass, squeezing and pressing their hips harder together as the kiss deepened.

 

“Please…,” he gasped as Danny mouthed at his jawline, “God, Danny, please…, more!”

 

“Okay, okay,” Danny murmured moving away from him, grinning when Steve mewled in protest, “Gotta take these boxers off, babe. Only thing I wanna feel on my skin is you.”

 

Steve flushed from his roots to his nipples, but he grinned and nodded, watching through half-open eyes as Danny slowly slipped his boxers down his legs. Danny rooted in the small duffel bag for a few moments, pulling out the lube and a condom from the box he’d brought from home. When he turned back to his boyfriend, Steve lay with his legs wantonly spread open, a nervous grin on his face.

 

Danny didn’t say a word, he just placed the items in his hands by Steve’s head before sliding in between his spread legs. “I don’t wanna hurt--.”

 

“You won’t, Danny. I know you won’t,” Steve whispered. Danny shuddered out a breath and knelt up, picking up the lube as he went. His hand shook as he coated his fingers. Steve saw how nervous he was and sat up, cupping Danny’s cheeks and drawing him in for a kiss. Danny moaned softly as Steve’s tongue slid into his mouth, and all the tension in his shoulders released. “I trust you,” Steve breathed into his parted lips, “I trust you, baby.”

 

This time, Danny ducked his head in embarrassment. “I just…want it to be good for you,” he said swallowing thickly. Steve smiled broadly and said, “Almost everything you do is good for me.”

 

“Smartass,” Danny grumbled smashing their lips together and leaning into Steve until he fell back to the bed. Their hips rocked together as the kiss deepened once more, and Danny inched his right hand between them, gliding over Steve’s cock, caressing his balls, and tickling over his perineum. “Don’t…oh, fuck, don’t tease me now, Danny,” Steve choked out, his thighs practically falling flat against the mattress.

 

“That’s half the fun, babe,” Danny murmured finally slipping his index finger between Steve’s cheeks, circling his hole as his mouth latched onto his right nipple. Steve jerked up at the same time Danny gently pressed his index finger inside him. Steve moaned loudly and relaxed against him immediately, raising his hips until he was nearly in Danny’s lap.

 

“More, Danny, more, please, more!” he begged.

 

“Oh, God, you’re killin’ me, Steve,” Danny groaned against his chest, beginning to thrust his finger inside the tight passage.

 

Steve’s hands moved restlessly over Danny’s back, shoulders, and biceps. He couldn’t keep still for anything, and his heart was trying to beat its way up his throat. “ _More_ ,” he demanded in a gasp. Danny trembled against him, but moved up to two fingers, the glide even smoother with the help of the lube. Steve squeezed his biceps at the feel, groaning low in his throat and tightening up instinctively.

 

“Need you to relax for me, babe. Let me in, okay?” Danny murmured trailing over his chest with nips and open-mouthed kisses. Steve’s grip on his biceps tightened momentarily before he shuddered out a breath and relaxed once more.

 

Danny quickly found his prostate and began stroking over the spongy muscle, grinning when Steve arched up nearly off the bed. “Ahhh! Fuck, oh God, _yes_ ,” he hissed through clenched teeth, breathing heavily and trying to hold back his moans.

 

“Wanna hear you, remember?” the blonde said huskily, his cock hardening as Steve started trembling around his finger, “Every single sound, or I stop.”

 

“Oh, god, don’t – please, Danny, harder – need it harder!” Steve moaned out, his own cock nearly red and stiff against his lower abs, “Want you to…oh, baby, need you to make me cum again!”

 

Danny’s hips jerked forward at the words, and he carefully removed his fingers from Steve’s hole before snatching up the condom and damn near shredding the packaging. Steve gasped for air as he rolled the condom on, and Danny asked one last time, “Babe, you sure--.”

 

“Get inside me, or I’ll flip us over and do it myself,” Steve snapped glaring down at him, his eyes nearly black now. Danny bit at the corner of his bottom lip, a full smile coming to his face. He slowly scooted forward until Steve’s thighs rested on his legs instead of the mattress.

 

“There’s a term for people like you and me, babe,” he said grasping himself with one hand, the other firmly on Steve’s right thigh.

 

“If you call me impatient--.”

 

Danny pressed forward slowly, the head of his cock finally breaching Steve’s ass, and both men groaned at the feel. Danny squeezed his eyes shut at the immediate pressure, and his fingers tightened so hard on Steve’s thigh, the SEAL grasped at his wrist.

 

“Ah, shit, Steve,” he breathed out, “Fuck, you’re – this is – fuck, I….”

 

“Come on, Danny,” Steve murmured relaxing around him and lifting his hips. Danny groaned as he slid even further inside, his hands sliding down to Steve’s hips and holding him still.

 

“Gimme a sec,” he gasped before swallowing against the sudden dryness in his throat, “Jesus Christ, you’re so fuckin’ tight!”

 

After a few long, tense moments, Danny inched back before pressing forward slowly. Steve shuddered and groaned, tossing his head back and clutching at the sheets. “Faster, Danny, come on!” he pleaded, “You promised!”

 

Danny’s eyes shot open and he froze. _One day…one day real fuckin’ soon, I’m gonna get deep inside you…hard…rough…so deep, you’ll never remember what it was like with anyone else._ He’d only been trying to stir Steve up, get the anticipation going the day before, since they’d waited so long to become intimate. Now, though, he wanted to make good on that promise. In fact, he didn’t think he ever wanted anyone else to even _look_ at Steve, let alone touch him intimately.

 

Biting hard at his bottom lip, he pulled out slowly once more before thrusting hard into his boyfriend. Steve’s eyes shot open, and he gasped out, “Fuck! Yes, do that again!”

 

“Grab the headboard,” Danny said in a steely voice, leaning over him and resting his hands just underneath his armpits, “And hang on.”

 

Steve grinned, licked his lips as slowly as he could, and reached up to grasp at the bottom of the headboard. “Go for it,” he murmured challengingly.

 

Danny growled low and did just that. Every single thrust shook Steve’s body around him, but his boyfriend’s shouts and moans and pants of pleasure only spurred him on. Sweat dripped from his forehead, landing at the hollow of Steve’s throat, and Danny gasped as he felt his spine start to tingle.

 

“Fuckin’ love you, Steve. You hear me? Oh, God, I love you!” he moaned, his hips shooting forward in shorter and shorter thrusts. He reached up and grabbed behind Steve’s neck, forcing the SEAL’s head up until their eyes locked.

 

“Mine,” he growled possessively, his cock driving against Steve’s prostate repeatedly, “You’re mine. Nobody ever touches you like this, nobody ever gets inside you like this but me, okay?”

 

“Fuck – yeah, yours, I’m all yours – oh, God, I’m gonna cum,” Steve gasped, his cock twitching against his belly, “Danny, I’m gonna cum!”

 

Danny moaned and moved up, locking their lips together and driving his tongue deep inside Steve’s mouth. Steve let go of the headboard only to grasp just as possessively at him, one hand locked around the back of Danny’s neck, the other slipping under his arm to scratch roughly at his back. Suddenly, Steve clenched tightly around Danny’s cock, his head falling back onto the pillow, vicious yet passionate screams that almost hurt Danny’s ears coming from his throat as thick strands of cum shot out over both their stomachs.

 

“Ah, Christ!” Danny shouted as his own orgasm finally hit, his hips jerking roughly, “Ah, fuck, Steve, fuck, fuck, _yes, God_!”

 

When his body finally stopped shaking, Danny slumped over on Steve’s chest, lightheaded and gasping in air. He carefully slipped out of Steve, who didn’t make a sound, trying not to pass out. A chuckle escaped his mouth as he had the random thought that he should’ve grabbed some juice or something before initially coming upstairs.

 

“Babe…you still with me?” he murmured, caressing Steve’s sides with shaking fingers. When the brunette didn’t move, Danny jolted up. Steve’s eyes were closed, his mouth slightly open, and his hands were hanging limply from where they’d slipped from Danny’s body.

 

Danny quickly climbed off him and moved to his side, cupping his cheek and murmuring his name. “Come on, Steve, open your eyes. Babe, please….”

 

Steve’s eyes fluttered open, glazed and slightly unfocused. Danny wiped away the mess on his stomach before finally removing the used condom, tying it off, and dumping it in the wastebasket. “Danny…,” Steve said softly, reaching blindly for the blonde.

 

“Right here,” Danny whispered leaning over his torso, wiping at the sweat on his forehead with his thumb, “You alright?”

 

“You’re not gonna…let me live that down, are you?” Steve asked, his lips twitching.

 

“Probably not. Once I’m sure I didn’t just have a heart attack. You scared me there for a sec,” Danny said grinning as well, “Think you can get through a shower for me?”

 

Steve nodded slowly and took a deep breath before allowing Danny to help him to a seated position. “You, um…, you feel okay? Other than passing out on me?” Danny asked. Steve took another deep breath as his head spun, closing his eyes until the bed stopped seeming to move underneath him. His energy stores were beyond depleted, and he started to feel like he hadn’t eaten in three days.

 

“Yeah…yeah, ‘m good, buddy,” he murmured easing his legs over the side of the bed. Danny quickly slipped an arm around his waist when he went to stand, and Steve was glad for it. His knees wobbled so hard, he thought he was going to hit the floor.

 

“Steve!” Danny gasped in concern, a solid hand going to his chest to help keep him upright. Steve shook his head and said, “It’s…just the…adrenaline dump.”

 

Danny huffed out a breath of humor, though his hand stayed in place on the brunette’s chest. After a few moments, Steve let out a slow breath and said, “Okay…. Okay, I’m good now.”

 

They trudged their way into the bathroom, where they took a quick, yet efficient shower. Back in the bedroom, Danny quickly tossed the towels to the other side of the floor before yanking the covers back. Steve flopped onto the mattress, turning onto his side as Danny climbed in behind him.

 

“I love you, Danny,” he murmured as the blonde’s arm came around his waist. Danny swallowed thickly and pulled him closer, burying his nose in the nape of Steve’s neck and inhaling deeply. The scent of the ocean was still there.

 

“Love you more, babe,” he murmured in return, his heart seeming to burn with a depth of emotion he was loathe to try to contain, “Love you so much.”


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't ask me where this came from. I put my fingers on the keyboard and kinda went into a fugue state. That's my story, and I'm sticking to it!

Steve jolted awake just a few hours later, his heart hammering in his chest and beads of sweat dotting his temples. Fear coursed through his veins, levels he hadn’t felt in years. He glanced around the darkened room, trying to figure out what had awakened him so suddenly and why he was so afraid.

 

“Danny?” he called out hoarsely, finally realizing the blonde wasn’t in the bed with him. He shuddered out a breath and cleared his throat before calling a little louder, “Danny??”

 

The bathroom door creaked open, and Danny emerged with a yawn. “Right here, babe,” he said quietly, making his way to the other side of the bed and climbing back under the covers. Steve immediately curled into his chest, his right arm tight around the blonde’s waist.

 

“Hey, hey, you okay?” Danny asked immediately, feeling Steve trembling against him, “Come on, talk to me, babe, you’re kinda scarin’ me right now….”

 

Steve shook his head and tucked his face even further into Danny’s chest, his eyes suddenly burning. He didn’t remember dreaming, but that had never stopped old memories from showing up regardless. However, he didn’t think that was the case. It was something else, something deeper that he couldn’t find the courage to voice.

 

“I was just usin’ the bathroom, Steve, promise. I wasn’t skippin’ out--.”

 

“I’m scared,” Steve choked out, his heart continuing to thud in his chest as the tears finally slipped from his eyes, “Scared of-of….” He shook his head again and tried to get even closer to his boyfriend.

 

Danny sighed softly and ran a gentle hand through Steve’s damp hair, staying calm and trying to project that to the SEAL. He didn’t think this was anything related to Steve’s military experiences, not at all. He knew Steve probably had bad dreams caused by his job (Danny was no stranger to those himself), but he didn’t think that was the case, either. No, this was something else, something much more fundamental.

 

“You feel okay? From earlier, I mean?” the blonde asked softly, moving his hand down to knead at the back of Steve’s neck. It felt like every knot he’d massaged out earlier had come back with a vengeance.

 

Steve sniffled wetly, taking a minute to physically assess himself. Other than soreness and a little muscle fatigue, he felt fine. His emotions, though, felt like they’d been put the ringer. He shuddered out a breath and rubbed his nose in the silky hairs covering his boyfriend’s chest.

 

“‘m fine,” he finally murmured. The feel of Danny’s arms around him, the soothing rise and fall of his chest, even the steady sound of his breathing helped eventually slow Steve’s pulse down to its normal rate. He licked his dry lips before adding, “Expected it to hurt worse.”

 

“Having back-to-back orgasms tends to relax a man,” Danny murmured, grinning against his forehead, “I’d never have let it get that far if I thought I was gonna hurt you, no matter how much you threatened me.”

 

Steve snorted softly and let out another shaky breath. Danny’s lips pressed against his forehead and he leaned into the touch, his grip on the blonde’s back finally loosening. “I’m gonna fuck up again, Danny,” he whispered suddenly, “I know I am, and--.”

 

“Where’s this comin’ from, babe?” Danny asked softly, “You have a bad dream or somethin’?”

 

“Can’t remember,” Steve answered shakily, “Just…woke up scared, and…you weren’t here, and-and it just….”

 

Danny went back to running his fingers through the fine hairs at the base of his boyfriend’s neck, dropping soft kisses over his forehead. Steve sniffled and continued, “Don’t wanna lose you, can’t…. I can’t ever lose you, Danny, and that’s….”

 

“Steve, I can’t promise we won’t ever have a fight again, okay? That’d be a lie, and I won’t lie to you, especially about that,” Danny spoke slowly, “What I will promise you? What I’ll swear to any god you want me to? I’ll always come back, okay, I’ll always fight just as hard for us as…”

 

He trailed off as Steve shook his head, giving the SEAL a chance to get his words together. He knew Steve would never do this in the light of day, and as exhausted as he still was, he wanted to give his man this chance to be as open as he wanted to be.

 

“I know you’re gonna fight for us, Danny. I know you’re in this just as much as I am. I just…. I, um, I just….,” Steve spoke slowly, starting to tremble again despite Danny’s best efforts to keep him calm.

 

“Take your time, babe, as much time as you need,” Danny murmured against his forehead.

 

Steve sniffled again and, after a few shaky breaths, whispered in a rush, “I’m scared of how much I need you now. I woke up, and…you weren’t here, and…I don’t know what I dreamed, I really don’t, I just know I was terrified that you were gone. And I don’t know if I could handle that if it really happened, if you weren’t here anymore, because I know it’d be because o’ me, because o’ somethin’ I did. And I don’t know how to-to not fuck up that bad.”

 

Danny sighed heavily and closed his eyes, trying to process all that Steve had just admitted while not falling back asleep. He had not anticipated having this heavy a conversation in the wee hours of the morning, but if this was what Steve needed to relax enough to go back to sleep, he’d power through it. Steve’s fingers tightened on his back once more, as if the silence was overbearing and he needed touch to assure him Danny was still present.

 

“Ya know…I can count on one hand the number o’ people, outside o’ family, that I’ve said ‘I love you’ to. It’s…it’s a big deal for me, babe. That’s the biggest sign o’ commitment I know how to give. I’m not sayin’ it makes everything easy-peasy to get through, but…it makes it… _easier_. I love you, and I’m pretty sure that you love me, so…let’s just work from there, okay?” Danny finally whispered, “Think you can give me that much?”

 

“At the very least,” Steve said finally relaxing in his arms and let out a soft sigh of relief.

 

“Good. Let’s try to get some more sleep, then. You got reports to finish this mornin’, remember,” Danny murmured. Steve grinned against his chest, and it wasn’t long until his breathing evened out. Danny sighed in relief and closed his eyes as well, hoping the next time he awoke, the sun was actually up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I did say there'd be an overwhelming amount of angst, didn't I? >.< *runs away*


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can't thank you guys enough for sticking around for this story. Really. Mahalo, my friends!

The next time Steve awoke, it was to the sound of his alarm clock blaring. Danny groaned from behind him before he could silence the device. “Wha’ time’s it?” Danny mumbled blearily, not moving an inch.

 

“Quarter to six,” Steve murmured settling back into the mattress, grinning as Danny’s fingers trailed over his stomach with no discernible pattern.

 

“Why? Why, why do you hate me, Steven?” the blonde groaned against his back, “I live further away than you do, and I don’t even get up this early for work.”

 

“Forgot to turn it off before we passed out last night. I usually go swimming before work, remember,” Steve said linking their fingers together and pulling his boyfriend even closer.

 

“You’re insane. I’m sure of it. Gonna get you certified, soon as I get up,” Danny said grinning, rubbing his nose right against the base of the SEAL’s neck. Steve shivered against him in response, and Danny felt his cock twitch. Apparently Steve felt it, too, because he pressed back slowly against him.

 

“Gonna certify me with that, Danno?” Steve asked snarkily.

 

“If I had the energy, yeah, I would,” Danny grumbled before letting out a breathy moan when Steve pressed back even harder, “Babe….”

 

Steve turned to face him with an understanding grin. He planted soft kisses over his face, slowly slipping the sheet down until he could kick it off completely. “Gonna take care of _you_ now, baby,” he murmured against his jaw, trailing his right hand down Danny’s chest and playing with the waistband of his underwear.

 

“Persistent son of a…,” Danny shot back, his words cut off when Steve’s mouth found a spot just below his collarbone, “Ahhh…yeah, okay, yeah, your turn to spoil me.”

 

Steve smirked against his skin and eased Danny onto his back, settling between his legs. “Whatever you want, Danny,” he said, continuing his lazy exploration of the blonde’s chest. It would never cease to amaze just how much strength lay hidden underneath all that hair, how much strength lay in such a compact body.

 

Danny tried not to squirm under Steve’s mouth, especially when the taller man reached his belly, but he was somewhat ticklish. When he let out a choked laugh, Steve lifted his head with a grin. Danny rolled his eyes even as his mouth stretched into a broad smile. “Don’t you dare laugh at me, Steven,” he sniped playfully, “A man has to have his secrets.”

 

“I wouldn’t be laughing at you, Daniel, I’d be laughing with you,” Steve answered back before dipping his head once more, tracing his tongue down the center of the blonde’s stomach. Danny moaned softly, arching up into the touch as Steve finally slipped his underwear down just under his cock.

 

Steve breathed heavily against the leaking head, licking his lips and moving his arms under Danny’s thighs, hoping he got the silent message. He finally took the blonde into his mouth, moaning heavily as precum spilled onto his tongue.

 

“Ah, shit, Steve,” Danny gasped, immediately planting his feet and pressing up into the hot wetness of Steve’s mouth. Steve moaned even louder and lowered down until Danny’s cock brushed the back of his throat. His hands clenched the bedsheets as his own cock hardened at the feel.

 

“Fuck, babe, your – shit, yes,” Danny gasped beginning to slowly rock up into his mouth. There wasn’t much room, but the blonde somehow knew his boyfriend had this exact scenario in mind. He reached down and threaded his fingers through the short locks, his grip tightening along with the knot in his belly. He wasn’t going to last long at all, not with Steve purposefully deep-throating him.

 

Steve breathed heavily through his nose, his own hips grinding against the sheets. Every time Danny pulled back, he swirled his tongue around the leaking head, wanting to soak up every bit of the precum he could. When Danny pushed forward, he relaxed his jaw until the head tickled his throat.

 

“Stay still,” Danny suddenly murmured, both hands on the side of Steve’s head, “Ah, fuck, let me – just let me….”

 

Steve stopped moving immediately, breathing heavily and trying not to rock against the damp sheets below him. “Look at me, babe,” Danny called out after a few moments. Steve glanced up from under his lashes, his eyes darkened and pupils blown, pleading with his boyfriend without words.

 

“Okay…,” Danny said knowingly, grinning before licking his lips and resting his head back on his pillow, “Okay, yeah.”

 

When Danny starting thrusting up into his mouth, Steve could’ve died and gone to heaven in that moment. Danny’s feet landed solidly on his shoulder blades, ankles digging into the bones as he took what the SEAL was so freely giving.

 

“Up…up on your knees, babe,” Danny gasped out, “God, your mouth – come on, up, Steven – shit, gonna cum right down your throat, baby.”

 

Steve scrambled to his knees, moaning heavily as his own cock now tried to thrust into empty air. “Fuck, ‘m close, babe,” Danny moaned, “Think you can come with me?”

 

Steve groaned in response, silently screaming in his head, _Yes, yes, yes, Danny, yes, anything you want_!

 

Danny’s grip tightened on the sides of his head, and he pressed inside Steve’s mouth until the SEAL’s nose was almost buried in his pubic hair. Steve swallowed around the head once, twice….

 

“Fuck…Steve, Steve!” he gasped out breathlessly just as his orgasm ripped out of him. His hips jerked up violently, shooting stream after stream of his load into Steve’s throat. Steve grunted softly, but didn’t try to pull away. Blood roared in his ears, and he barely felt the threads of the sheet give under his hands.

 

When Danny finally collapsed back against the bed, Steve slowly pulled off his softened cock, licking at it to clean up any residual release. Danny squirmed away from his touch, heaving and laughing breathlessly. “Animal,” he grumbled, his lips twitching as Steve eased back up his body.

 

“You bring it outta me,” Steve murmured against his lips, shuddering and moaning as his still-hard cock brushed against the vee of Danny’s hip.

 

“You didn’t…?” Danny asked cupping his cheeks, “Oh, babe, I thought you were right there with me.”

 

“‘s okay,” Steve said sheepishly, “This was about you, not me.”

 

Danny brought their mouths together, sliding his tongue between Steve’s lips while inching his hand underneath the waistband of his boxers. Steve jerked against him when he gripped his cock, ducking his head into his neck and immediately beginning to thrust into the tightness of his fist.

 

“Want you to come for me, babe. Come on, Steve. Come for me, baby,” Danny murmured hotly against his ear.

 

When he flicked his tongue against the shell, and twisted his wrist just as Steve thrust forward, the SEAL stiffened and came with a soft grunt. Breathing heavily, he plopped over onto his back, a goofy grin on his face. “Still need to go swimming?” Danny asked smiling.

 

“Probably not, but I will anyway. Part o’ the workweek routine, Danno,” Steve answered running his hands over his face before easing out of the bed, “Get some sleep, I won’t be out too long.”

 

“Oh, I’m up now, thanks to you,” Danny grumbled, though he moved to Steve’s side of the bed to avoid the wet spot. Steve merely grinned over his shoulder before stripping out of his wet boxers and doing a cursory wipe with the drier part of the fabric. He’d let the ocean clean the rest. He heard a whispered, “Tease,” and chuckled, grabbing a clean pair of board shorts from the dresser.

 

“Be back in an hour,” he said before leaving the room, closing the door behind him.

 

Danny lay in the quiet house for the next 45 minutes, dozing as his body settled from the early morning orgasm. When sounds on the stairs registered in his ears, his eyes fluttered open. The bedroom door opened, and Steve slipped inside with a towel over his shoulders. “Thought you’d be up and dressed by now,” he said quietly, a grin on his face.

 

Danny smirked as he rolled onto his back, yawning deeply and stretching his limbs. Steve moved to the bed and climbed over him, his weight on his knees and elbows. “Some of us enjoy sleeping, Steven,” he grumbled, smiling lazily as his boyfriend stared down at him, awe and something even stronger than love apparent on his face.

 

Silence came over them both as Steve’s eyes roved over his face, and the SEAL let out a shaky breath. “Move in with me,” he said softly.

 

Danny’s jaw dropped and his eyes widened in pure shock. They’d been dating for barely four months; living together hadn’t even registered as a step to be considered in his mind. Hell, he and Rachel had dated for almost two years before deciding to try living together.

 

“I mean, you’re already here more than you’re at your apartment, and you already have a key, ya know. Plus Grace already uses the spare bedroom, and-and we’d cut gas costs--.”

 

“Steve. Hang on just a second, okay? You can’t just throw somethin’ like this out there before seven in the morning!” Danny finally exclaimed.

 

Steve’s mouth snapped shut, and Danny watched his face fall. He slowly moved off of him, obviously heading for the bathroom, but Danny grabbed his hand and yanked him back. “Don’t run away, goddamn it,” he said in frustration, “I didn’t say no--.”

 

“You didn’t say yes, either,” Steve said quietly, “It’s fine, it-it was stupid, I didn’t…. It’s fine, Danny.”

 

Danny pulled him back to the bed as he sat up, not releasing his hand even when Steve plopped down at his side. Steve sighed heavily and shrugged, not looking in the blonde’s direction. “We can…just keep--.”

 

“Shut. Up. For a minute,” Danny cut him off, reaching up and cupping his jaw to turn his head towards him. He didn’t say anything else until Steve’s eyes locked on his own.

 

“In my defense, I have not had caffeine yet. Conversations like these should not happen before caffeine intake. That’s number one, okay. Secondly, where is this comin’ from? Is this because of what we talked about a few hours ago? ‘Cause I told you, I’m not goin’ anywhere, you goofball, whether I live here or not,” the blonde said, “Three--.”

 

“I feel like I need a pen and some paper for this list,” Steve joked, his lips twitching upwards.

 

“Hush,” Danny said, sighing even as his own lips twitched as well, “It’s always zero to 60 with you, isn’t it? All in or all out?”

 

“Do or do not, there is no try?” Steve countered, his face relaxing into a humored smile.

 

“You’re a jerk, and I hate you,” Danny said releasing his hand and crossing his arms. Steve’s smile widened and he leaned forward, licking his lips before whispering, “All for one, and one for all? Opportunity doesn’t knock twice? No man is an island?”

 

Danny shot forward and pressed their lips together, if only to shut the arrogant son of a bitch up. He tasted the salt of the ocean, and couldn’t help the smile that came to his lips. “I’ll think about it, okay? That’s all I can give you right now,” he said softly. Steve grinned and nodded his understanding, then moved from the bed.

 

“Plenty o’ room in the shower to think, ya know,” he said with an exaggerated wink, before turning and heading into the bathroom. Danny let out his own exaggerated put-upon sigh, but scrambled from the bed, catching the door before it could swing shut and slipping inside.

 

\------------------

 

Steve and Danny stepped off the elevators leading to the Five-0 headquarters with their pinky fingers interlocked, each carrying a bag from Liliha’s. Danny had convinced him to stop for coco puffs and malasadas to get the workweek started off on a good note. When they entered the double doors, Kono waved from the computer table.

 

“Hey, boss, second boss,” she said grinning, her gaze flickering between the two men, down to their enjoined fingers and back up, “Good weekend?”

 

“Hush your face, or no goodies for you,” Danny said snarkily.

 

“I am a total angel who has never done anything wrong in her life, Detective Williams,” Kono continued, her face the very picture of innocence.

 

“Definitely no goodies for you, Liar McLiarton,” Danny responded, “You hear that, babe? No goodies for the rookie.”

 

“Yes, dear,” Steve said rolling his eyes playfully and setting his bag on the corner of the computer table, “Don’t get crumbs on that thing, Kono, or Chin’ll have all our asses.”

 

Kono smiled broadly and snatched up the bag before Danny could reach for it, winking at Steve as he passed by her headed for his office. She eyed Danny for a long moment, before actually giving a fist pump and saying, “Chin totally owes me 50 bucks.”

 

“What, for what?” the blonde asked before holding up a finger and turning for his own office, “Nevermind, you incorrigible minx, don’t answer that.” Kono’s laughter followed him into his office.

 

Over the next few hours, Steve finally finished up the necessary reports he’d left on Friday evening, sent them off to Denning, and cleared out his e-mail inbox. There was nothing pressing that the group needed to do, which was shocking for a Monday morning, so he sent Chin and Kono off to follow up on a couple of old cases from the fall.

 

His office door crept open, and he looked up to see Danny standing there with a wary smile. “Hey, you okay?” Steve asked with a small frown.

 

“Buried in paperwork and e-mails since we got here, but yeah, I’m good. You?” Danny answered.

 

Steve shrugged nonchalantly and said, “I’m good, Danno. Finally got those reports off to Denning. Of course, for some reason I can’t be bothered to care about, he wanted more details on that New Year’s double murder we pulled.”

 

“Probably just trying to keep you on your toes, let you know he’s still got his eyes on us,” Danny said rolling his eyes, “Anyway, uh…, you got a minute?”

 

Steve sat silent and still for a long moment before nodding stiffly, easing his laptop closed and sitting back in his chair. Danny smirked and came fully into the office, not even bothering to sit in either of the seats in front of the SEAL’s desk. He hopped up on the desk instead, his thigh brushing against Steve's right forearm.

 

“Relax, babe, it’s nothin’ major,” Danny finally said grasping his hand and bringing it to his lap, “I was just thinkin’ about our conversation this mornin’.”

 

“Wasn’t exactly a conversation,” Steve said quietly, though he managed to maintain eye contact.

 

“No, I…I guess it wasn’t. But…in between the paperwork and the e-mails, I did some thinkin’,” Danny spoke, his thumbs moving rhythmically over the back of Steve’s hand, “Would you be open to a compromise?”

 

“Compromise on what?” Steve asked, fighting a grin.

 

“Don’t be obtuse, Steven. It’s not a good look on you.”

 

“I can always go back to speaking in clichés.”

 

“I’m gonna hit you if you do.”

 

“Promise?”

 

Danny burst out laughing and shook his head, the tension in his chest finally loosening as Steve smiled brightly at him. He brought the SEAL’s hand up and pressed a gentle kiss to the back of it before saying, “How ‘bout we start with a drawer?”

 

“A drawer?” Steve asked in slight confusion.

 

“Instead of…me moving for what feels like the third time in two years, I was thinking maybe you could clear out a drawer for me. I can…keep some stuff there, stuff I use if I’m gonna stay overnight or for a weekend or whatever, and…we can go from there,” Danny explained.

 

The gigantic smile on Steve’s face was all the answer he needed. He slid off the desk and dropped a chaste peck on his boyfriend’s lips just as the SEAL’s cell phone rang from the desk.

 

“McGarrett,” Steve answered, his eyes still bright and locked with Danny’s. That was, until Duke’s voice registered in his ear. After only a few seconds, he spoke, “Text me the location, Duke. I’ll get with Chin and Kono, and Danny and I’ll be there as soon as we can.”

 

He hung up and moved to stand, Danny backing up to give him some space as he did. “Standoff with HPD up on the North Shore, bank full of hostages, at least three gunmen--.”

 

Danny cut him off by pushing him out from behind the desk and hurrying him out of the office. Work for Five-0 never really stopped, after all. They’d get back to discussing their living arrangements eventually. Danny knew Steve wouldn’t give up on that until he’d gotten what he wanted, and the blonde didn’t exactly think that was a bad thing. He could certainly have done a lot worse tying himself down, in the office and out of it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Typing out the last chapter now. :)


	15. Chapter 15

Steve eyed himself in his bedroom mirror, a nervous tremor running over his skin. His service dress white uniform sat perfectly on his frame, freshly dry cleaned and tailored to perfection. The black shoulder boards with his Lieutenant Commander rank insignia sat on his shoulders, ribbons and medals he’d earned during his active duty tenure all cleaned and lined up perfectly on the left side of his uniform jacket, with his name tag polished and aligned just so on the right side.

 

He took a deep breath as his eyes landed on his SEAL trident pin; he’d spent the better part of an hour the previous evening cleaning and shining it. He hadn’t had reason to wear the full uniform in a while, but today required it. Letting out another shaky breath, he ran his hands over his uniform jacket. Even though he wouldn’t be wearing it in the truck, he still didn’t want any wrinkles showing up when he had it on.

 

“Babe, come on, we’re gonna be--.”

 

Steve jumped at the sound of Danny’s voice as the blonde entered the room, his face flushing. Danny eyed him worriedly at first, then with so much sympathy, Steve’s throat tightened. “Oh, babe…,” Danny murmured coming over to him, “Ya know, you don’t have to--.”

 

“I gave my word, Danny. I’m gonna…. I’ll be fine, I just need to get there,” Steve countered, “Is Gracie here yet?”

 

“Primed and ready for duty, Commander. Rachel dropped her off a few minutes ago,” Danny said smirking, “We’re just waitin’ on you.”

 

Steve finally smiled, reaching for Danny’s hands and pulling him close. “Have I told you I love you today?” he whispered against the blonde’s lips.

 

“Twice in the shower,” Danny murmured back.

 

“Stop,” Steve laughed before pecking his lips, “Alright, let’s go before she calls Kono for a ride, and we have to track them both down.”

 

The ride to Magic Island took a little under a half-hour, and Steve was practically vibrating in his seat by the time he parked in his designated spot. “Steve? Are you--.”

 

“Danny, yes. I’m sure,” the SEAL said squeezing his eyes shut and clenching the steering wheel. He took a few slow, deep breaths, willing himself to just…relax. Danny’s hand landed on his shoulder, and he quietly asked, “Do you want me and Gracie to just…just meet you after…? We don’t have to…to be with you, if you don’t want--.”

 

Steve’s eyes shot to him, and his jaw dropped. “God, no, Danny, no, not at all. I want you right by my side, I swear!” he said fiercely, his gaze drifting over his shoulder to where Grace sat in the backseat, headphones in and her focus on the tablet Danny had gotten her for her birthday that year.

 

When he looked back to Danny, he added, “You and her? You’re my whole world. This is just as much for you guys as it is for me.”

 

Danny grinned and leaned forward, kissing him gently. “Dad! You promised, no PDA in front o’ me!” Grace exclaimed from the back seat.

 

Steve chuckled and felt the knot in his chest at least loosen. “Yeah, Danno. No PDA in front o’ the kid,” he said, even as he eyed Danny’s lips.

 

“Traitors, the both o’ you,” Danny countered, “Come on, let’s get this show on the road, SuperSEAL.”

 

Steve watched Danny exit, even watched him help his daughter from the backseat. Still, he couldn’t bring himself to do the same. His pulse skyrocketed all over again, and he knew he was on the verge of a full-blown panic attack. Suddenly, his own door swung open and Danny stepped up onto the ledge so they were eye level.

 

“I’ll be by your side every step o’ the way, Steve. I know this is a big, big deal for you, so I’m not downplaying that at all. I’m honored that you even asked me. But…it’s now or never, babe. They’re gonna be starting soon, and I’m bettin’ that…they _really_ want you to be there when they do,” Danny said quietly.

 

Steve slowly peeled his hands from the steering wheel and picked up his uniform cover. “Okay…,” he murmured, more to himself than anything, “Okay, I’m ready.”

 

Danny cupped his face with one hand and forced their eyes to meet. “You’re stronger than you give yourself credit for. I’m proud o’ you, and I love you, even without this,” he said softly.

 

The tension around Steve’s eyes floated away with the warm Hawaiian breeze, and his lips twitched upwards. “I love you, too,” he whispered.

 

Danny climbed back down, and Steve followed him out, slipping his cover on his head, grabbing his uniform jacket from the backseat and slipping it on, then finally shutting the door behind him. Danny held out his right hand, and the SEAL took it immediately, their fingers linking together.

 

As they headed towards the front of what looked like a _very_ long line, Steve found himself walking a little taller. Not with tenseness or self-consciousness, but with pride. He grinned at his own unintentional pun, glanced down at Danny, and broke into a full smile. With the blonde by his side, he could scale mountains.

 

“Commander McGarrett! Up here, hey, Commander!” Joey yelled out from a small group of HPD officers, and what Steve assumed were their respective significant others since Tom was also present amongst the men and women.

 

Steve smiled and gave a genteel wave as his own little family walked towards them. He shook hands with every officer, introducing Danny to the people he hadn’t yet crossed paths with in their usual Five-0 duties, and every significant other.

 

“How’s FTEP treatin’ you, Joey?” Steve asked once introductions had been finished. The academy’s Field Training and Evaluation Program was a 3-month probationary period after academy graduation where young officers were paired with veteran HPD officers for further on-the-job training. From memory, Steve thought the young man was just nearing the end of that program.

 

“It’s goin’ great, ya know, I learn somethin’ new every day. I’ll be happy when I finally get to 4th Watch, though,” Joey said with a bright smile.

 

“Your feet won’t be sayin’ that after about two weeks. Invest in Epsom salt, my friend, trust me,” Danny said with a laugh.

 

“I thought you came to the island already a detective?” Tom asked.

 

“Yeah, I did, but I also had a few run-ins with some o’ the newer HPD recruits. When they weren’t callin’ me _haole_ every other word, they were bit--.” Danny cut himself off when Grace knowingly squeezed his hand. “Sorry, when they were complaining about the 8-hour foot patrol shifts they had to do six days a week,” he finished with a smile.

 

Steve chuckled just as a large island woman he’d recognize anywhere now strolled over sporting a headset and clipboard. “Ahh, Commander McGarrett, we were getting worried!” she said with a relieved smile.

 

“Sorry, Kemo’o, I got caught up in some stuff at home this mornin’,” he said bowing his head apologetically. Kemo’o’s eyes strayed to Danny with a smirk, and Steve quickly interjected, “Child present, Kemo’o!”

 

Kemo’o let out a full cackle and said, “Well, come on, ladies and gents, let’s get this show on the road! Nani’s gonna have a conniption if we start even 30 seconds late today!”

 

The small group followed behind the restaurant owner, who moved a lot faster than her size belied, until they reached the starting point of the event. Steve eyed the group of men and women ahead, all dressed in similar service dress uniforms, representing all five branches of the Armed Forces based on the island. He recognized a few faces from the LGBT Foundation’s volunteer committee he’d started serving on over the summer, and he waved to each person as he got closer.

 

“Commander, welcome,” spoke a short African-American woman in a fitted Marine Corps dress uniform, her smile broad and gleaming in the sunshine, “We’re honored you could join us.”

 

“Thanks for havin’ me, Captain Clark. It’s…it’s a real pleasure to be able to actually get to do this this year,” Steve said openly, “I’m sorry I missed the show last year.”

 

“Please, call me Selena. Don’t worry, you’re not the only newbie this year. And I think we have even more floats and more groups walking the route, too, so it’s exciting. Is this your partner?” she spoke, her gaze moving to where Danny stood looking proudly up at Steve.

 

“Yeah, um, this is Danny Williams, and this is his daughter, Gracie,” Steve said somewhat nervously, “He’s…he’s, um….”

 

“I got it, Commander,” Lynn said knowingly, her smile more understanding than Steve would’ve expected, “Welcome, Mr. Williams, and thanks for joining us up front. Gracie, thank you for bein’ here, too. Think you can keep up with us the whole way?”

 

“Yes, ma’am,” Grace said excitedly, “I made sure to wear good shoes just for this!”

 

Steve chuckled softly as Kemo’o came rushing past, motioning for them to start lining up. The Armed Forces group would be leading this year’s Pride Parade, followed by the Oahu law enforcement community, and then the many groups and businesses that supported the state’s LGBTQ+ community.

 

“If you don’t mind, Commander, I’d like you to help me carry the banner,” Selena said as an Airman First Class from the Air Force and a Master Sergeant from the Army brought over a rolled up plastic banner. They unfurled it, and Steve smiled as the various branch logos were revealed. The phrase at the bottom read, “Nothing is More American Than Love”, and was printed in various shades that represented the original pride flag.

 

“It looks good,” he said before looking back to Selena, “It’d be an honor, ma’am.”

 

They both grabbed an end as the bands behind them began to play, and Steve’s eyes shot to Danny’s. “Be right here the whole way, babe,” Danny said knowingly.

 

Steve reached for his hand, and their fingers locked. “I love you,” Steve mouthed over Kemo’o’s calls for them to start. Danny stroked the back of his hand with his thumb, his other hand wrapped protectively around his daughter’s smaller one, and they headed out of the parking lot towards the official starting point of the massive parade.

 

“Welcome, everyone, to this year’s Pride Parade! Thank you all for coming out to support Oahu’s _massive_ LGBTQ-plus community! We’re kicking things off with our amazing U.S. military, led by Captain Selena Clark of the Marine Corps and…oh, goodness, isn’t this just an absolute pleasure!” Nani said excitedly from the podium just as Steve and Selena walked past.

 

Steve felt his face flush, and his grip on Danny’s hand tightened. Danny moved closer instinctively, and murmured, “You know how he is, babe, he’s just playin’ it up for the crowd.”

 

“Ladies and gentlemen, accompanying Captain Clark is our very own _kama’aina_ , Lieutenant Commander Steve McGarrett of the Navy, and head of the state’s Five-0 task force! Looks like he’s accompanied by _my_ absolute favorite _haole_ in the world, Detective Danny Williams, _also_ from Five-0! Darlings, we’re so glad you’re both helping to lead the way, and we thank you – and the entire military and law enforcement community – for helping to keep our islands and our country safe!” Nani said excitedly.

 

The crowds on both sides of the street roared in approval, and Steve gave a shaky smile in response. There wasn’t a single person he saw that wasn’t clapping and cheering in support, and his eyes suddenly burned with tears. He gently pulled his hand from Danny’s grasp and waved sheepishly. He glanced down at his boyfriend, and it felt like his throat suddenly had a golf ball stuck in it.

 

Both Grace and Danny were looking at him so full of pride and support and love, Steve almost stumbled to a stop. Danny’s hand came to his lower back, then eased around to his hip. “You okay, babe…?” Danny asked softly.

 

Steve sniffled and eased his arm down around the blonde’s shoulders, the last dredges of tension finally leaving him. “Yeah….,” he said letting out a deep sigh, his smile more natural as he glanced at the crowds on both sides of the street as they walked, “Yeah, this is good. I’m good.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this seriously should've been the last chapter, but my Muse apparently has other plans...


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> When the Muse says break up the epilogue, you break up the epilogue. Sorry for the wait, guys!

The next two hours passed by in a blur for the SEAL, the 3-mile walk from Magic Island to the Waikiki Shell at the edge of Kapi’olani Regional Park seeming to pass by in the space of a few breaths. Danny ended up carrying Grace on his back for the last half-mile, the sun eventually tiring the small girl out. As they crossed into the park, the parade broke apart naturally to explore all of the vendors and musicians set up across the upper half of the large park.

 

Steve found an empty bench near the parking lot shaded by a large tree, unbuttoned his uniform jacket, and plopped down. “I’m gonna go grab us a few water bottles, okay, babe?” Danny said shifting Grace’s weight on his back.

 

“Let me take her,” Steve offered reaching for her, “If I spot Kemo’o, I’ll see if she can get us a ride back up to the truck.”

 

“You sure? You don’t wanna hang out here for a little while?” Danny asked, “Rachel’s not gonna be by to pick her up for another couple hours.”

 

“To be honest…? No, not really. It was only 3 miles, but…” He trailed off when Danny nodded in understanding, turning around so Steve could carefully remove his daughter from his back. She went willingly enough, curling into Steve’s chest and settling in his arms just as easily as she would if it were Danny himself. This time, it was Danny’s eyes who suddenly felt wet.

 

“I’m gonna…. I’ll be back,” he said as Steve protectively held his child, making sure she wasn’t overheated by his jacket but also keeping her hidden from the passing crowd. Steve only nodded absentmindedly, his eyes scanning the passersby automatically.

 

A few minutes later, Chin and Kono walked up with huge smiles on their faces. “Boss, that was awesome! Best parade they’ve done yet!” Kono said leaning down and giving him a hug, careful not to squeeze Grace and wake her, “Everybody was talking about the military group being up front, and especially you and Danny reppin’ Five-0!”

 

“Thanks, Kono. It was…an experience,” Steve said somewhat sheepishly, “I don’t know that I’d have gotten through it if Danny wasn’t there.”

 

“Well, you looked sharp out here, Steve, and comfortable enough. Kono here was telling everybody within’ hearing distance that you were our boss…the whole three miles,” Chin said with a grin.

 

“You guys walked along?” Steve asked somewhat confused.

 

“Course we did. Got some awesome pictures, too!” Kono said pulling up the gallery on her phone. Steve shook his head as both of his coworkers sat on either side of him. They were halfway through the pictures when Danny finally returned, two shave ices in hand.

 

“You know she’s gonna wake up and want one o’ those, right?” Steve asked chuckling softly, just as Grace shifted in his arms. Her eyes peeked open, spotting the shave ice, and she practically jumped out of the SEAL’s lap, reaching for the banana-flavored cup in Danny’s left hand.

 

Danny rolled his eyes playfully and handed it over as Kono stood to free up space for him on the bench. “Here, babe, you need to cool off some, too,” he said holding out the cherry-flavored shave ice in Steve’s direction.

 

“You walked as far as I did, Daniel,” Steve said, though he did take a few scoops from the small cup.

 

Kono practically squealed, so Chin stood and said, “We’re gonna go explore. You guys hangin’ out here?”

 

“We’re actually gonna head out as soon as I see Kemo’o so we can get a ride back up to the truck,” Steve said just as the large woman rode up in a golf cart. Steve waved to get her attention, and she stopped a little over 10 feet away.

 

“Need a ride back, _kama’aina_?” she asked jovially, understanding all over her tanned face, “I’m heading up to pick up Nani now, so you’re right on time.”

 

Steve stood and gave his coworkers a tired hug before hopping onto the back of the golf cart. Danny smirked as Grace ran after him, climbing up into the front seat to sit next to Kemo’o, and his two favorite people chatted politely with the restaurateur while they waited for him.

 

“It was…really cool to see you guys up there, Danny. I didn’t think you’d be able to talk him into it so soon,” Chin said quietly.

 

“He’s the one who asked me,” Danny said just as quietly, “And, trust me, I think I was even more terrified than he was. It’s one thing to watch from the sidewalk, it’s another to actually be in the parade, let alone up front and…puttin’ ourselves out there like that.”

 

“You couldn’t tell that from the crowd. Almost everybody we overheard just kept sayin’ how cool it was to see Five-0 up there, and not just as supporters. Pretty sure you two are officially the island’s favorite couple,” Kono said with a bright smile.

 

Danny rolled his eyes even as his cheeks burned. “I’m sure they won’t be sayin’ that when SuperSEAL is blowing up downtown again,” he joked as Steve laughed at something Grace had said, “Anyway, we’ll see you guys bright and early Monday.”

 

“Make sure he knows we’re proud of him,” Chin said offering a loose hug. Danny nodded before embracing Kono as well, then heading over to the golf cart. Steve’s hand grasped his almost before he was fully seated.

 

“Thank you for comin’ with me today,” Steve said quietly, leaning forward and resting his forehead against Danny’s shoulder, “Wouldn’t have made it through without you.”

 

Danny reached up and cupped the back of his neck, stroking the fine hairs at the nape of his neck as he dropped a soft kiss against the SEAL’s temple. “Remember…as long as you want me, I’m here to stay,” he murmured. Steve’s hand tightened around his and his breath hitched, but he gave a nod of understanding before sitting back and reaching for the shave ice between them.


	17. Epilogue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This epilogue is long. I'd say it got away from me, but I'm of the belief that chapters are as short or long as they need to be to tell the story that needs to be told.

Steve listened to the background noise of Danny helping Grace clean up in the small guest bathroom, a smile curling his lips as he began straightening up the kitchen from their early evening dinner. He was still in his dress uniform, minus the jacket, but he hadn’t felt compelled to change right away after they’d gotten home. Grace had spent nearly an hour asking about his various medals and awards, and he’d thoroughly enjoyed explaining the stories behind each one. Naturally, he’d toned them down to an age-appropriate summation, but both Grace and her father had been entertained, nonetheless.

 

A knock on the door brought him out of his reverie, and he called out that he would answer it before drying his hands and moving from the kitchen. Rachel gave him a polite smile when he opened the door, and he waved her inside.

 

“Grace’ll be out in a minute, just getting cleaned up from dinner,” he said easing the door shut, “Can I get you anything? Water, juice…?”

 

“No, thank you, Commander,” Rachel said sitting down primly on the edge of the recliner, “How was the parade?”

 

Steve’s cheeks tinted pink, and he looked in the direction of the bathroom, praying Danny emerged soon. He was no longer embarrassed by his sexuality, hadn’t been in months, but having his boyfriend’s ex-wife ask about the Pride Parade wasn’t exactly the easiest topic to navigate.

 

“It was, um…. It was good, ya know, a little overwhelming, but…,” he said shoving his hands in his pockets, his eyes on his sock-clad feet.

 

Rachel gave an understanding grin and, in a shockingly friendly tone, added, “I’m sure it’ll be easier next year.”

 

Before Steve could respond, Grace came barreling out of the bathroom, launching herself into Steve’s legs. “Can we do it again next year, Uncle Steve, please, please, please??” she asked frantically, “I promise I won’t fall asleep next time, I promise!”

 

“Oh, honey, it’s okay, I told you that earlier. And of course you can come next year,” he said lifting her into his arms, pinching her cheek playfully. Grace smiled as Danny finally emerged from the bathroom as well, drying his hands on a small hand towel.

 

“Danno, Uncle Steve said I can walk with him in the parade next year!” Grace said over Steve’s shoulder.

 

“Did he now?” Danny asked with a raised brow, though Steve saw the happiness shining from his icy blue eyes. Grace nodded frantically before adding, “I think I should be able to dress up, too….”

 

“Don’t push your luck, Grace,” Rachel said chuckling and getting to her feet, and Steve and Danny followed her outside. Steve let Grace down carefully, tapping her nose before saying, “Thanks for hangin’ out with me today, Grace Face.”

 

Grace motioned for him to lean down, so he carefully squatted down in front of her. Grace set her hands on his shoulders, her face strangely serious. “You did really good today, Uncle Steve. I’m proud of you,” she said, “I’m gonna tell every kid in my school that my Uncle Steve helped lead the Pride Parade. And if they make fun, I’m gonna tell ‘em my Uncle Steve is in charge of Five-0, and they can say that crap to your face if they’re so tough.”

 

“Grace!” Rachel gasped, though she hid a smirk behind her hand.

 

Steve’s cheeks burned red, and he pulled the little girl close. “I love you, too, sweetheart,” he said in her ear before kissing her cheek and releasing her.

 

“You’ve officially corrupted my child, you heathen,” Danny said shaking his head, though even he was fighting a smile.

 

“Don’t be jealous that she likes me more, Danno,” Steve joked back as he stood.

 

As Rachel headed towards the car with Grace in tow, Danny wrapped an arm around Steve’s waist, pulling him tightly to his side. “What do you wanna do tonight?” he asked quietly, a grin still playing at his lips.

 

“Get outta this uniform, for one,” Steve said glancing down at him, “Why?”

 

Danny’s eyes traveled from his feet to his own blue eyes, and he asked again, “What do you wanna do tonight, babe?”

 

Steve’s throat went dry and he felt his entire face flush at the desire in his boyfriend’s eyes. Danny smiled broadly this time and squeezed his waist. “Why don’t you get upstairs and…mull that over? I’ll be up in a bit,” he said softly.

 

“I…I need to-to finish cleaning up,” Steve stuttered out, eyeing Danny’s mouth this time.

 

“Steven,” Danny murmured sliding his hand down to the SEAL’s butt and gripping so tightly, Steve flinched and let out a soft gasp.

 

“Okay. Yeah, I’ll, uh, I’ll… Just, um, tell Gracie I’ll see her next weekend,” he stuttered out before quickly heading back inside, Danny’s soft chuckles following him. The blonde made his way over to Rachel’s vehicle to help her load up their daughter and say a proper goodbye.

 

Upstairs, Steve paced the bedroom floor, his eyes straying between the door and the bed as his mind churned. It had been a long week…hell, it had been a long summer leading up to the parade today. Between work and his volunteer duties, he felt at the very edges of his self-contained calm. And while he and Danny had an equal say in their relationship, there were times – more than the SEAL was willing to admit – that he didn’t necessarily want that equality.

 

He grabbed a couple towels from the hall closet, and their toy box from the top shelf of their closet. He pulled a few items from it, including his new favorite blindfold Danny had ordered online. If Danny was going to finish cleaning downstairs, he could prepare for their night while he had the chance.

 

A few short minutes later, Steve heard Danny’s soft footfalls ascending the staircase, and he blew out a sharp breath and wiped his hands on his pants. He carefully eased down to his knees, placed his hands on his thighs, and rested back on his heels. Each step that his boyfriend took closer to him felt like the stress being slowly drained out of him. Steve let his eyes drift shut just as the door eased open.

 

Danny’s mouth went dry at the sight of Steve on his knees at the foot of their bed, and he was stuck between immediately forcing him to his feet and wanting to take the next hour just to stare at him. Letting out a slow breath, he shut the door behind him and leaned against it, clasping his hands together and letting them hang loosely in front of him.

 

“I take it you…have some ideas for tonight?” he asked with a small grin, eyeing the items on the nightstand, the towels on the bed, then looking back to Steve.

 

Steve’s eyes fluttered open, and their gazes locked. Danny knew exactly what Steve was asking for, but he also had worked damn hard since they’d started having sex to make sure the SEAL felt comfortable verbalizing what he wanted in the bedroom. It was easier some days than most, and this looked like one of those days he’d have to pry it out of the man.

 

Steve’s cheeks flushed red as they continued their stare-down, and Danny noticed his fingers tighten around his thighs. Danny couldn’t help his smirk, but he finally pushed off the door and motioned for Steve to stand. “Not too sure how much I like you on your knees in your uniform, babe,” he murmured brushing the minor dust stains away before straightening.

 

Steve lowered his eyes in apology, but he still didn’t speak. Danny let his eyes wander over each ribbon and medal and award Steve had given a story for that afternoon, lightly caressing over the threads and medals before trailing down the centerline of buttons, reaching the gleaming gold belt buckle and slipping his fingers inside the waistband.

 

“I wanted to rip this uniform off you stitch by stitch as soon as I saw you in it this morning,” the blonde said softly, pulling his hand free and walking around Steve’s stock-still form. His hands brushed casually over his boyfriend’s hips, to his broad shoulders and iron-straight back. “It really should be illegal to look this good in a United States military uniform,” he added as his hands drifted down to Steve’s ass.

 

Steve’s breath hitched just barely at the touch, and the muscles jumped under Danny’s hands. “But…,” Danny murmured continuing around until he was back in front of his man, “I know how important this uniform is to you…what it means to you, and who you are because of it. And I would never damage it in any way.”

 

Steve swallowed thickly, his fingers twitching against his thighs, before murmuring back, “You’re so much more important to me than this uniform could ever be, Danny.”

 

Danny’s cheeks burned and he slowly pulled Steve’s face down until he could just barely brush their lips together. “What do you wanna do tonight, babe?” he whispered nipping at the SEAL’s lips, “Need you to tell me, not show me.”

 

Steve’s breath came out shaky against his lips, his hands latching onto Danny’s hips as the blonde continued to tease his mouth. “Want you inside me,” he finally whispered, “Want you to…. God, Danny, I just want you. Even if we don’t…use that stuff, I just… _want_ you.”

 

Danny finally pressed their lips together, clutching Steve tightly when the taller man seemed to sink against him. “Do you have a hanger for this?” he asked plucking at the back of the dress shirt. Steve swallowed thickly and nodded before attempting to recapture his boyfriend’s mouth. Danny smirked and pulled back, his hands immediately beginning to work on the buttons of said dress shirt.

 

“Where’s the hanger, babe?” he asked softly, unbuckling the gold buckle and loosening the belt from around his waist, “I know this has to be dry-cleaned anyway, but no point in making their job any harder than it has to be.”

 

“On the back of the closet door. My tie’s already there,” Steve said moving to help.

 

“Ah, ah, just stand here. You want me to do all the work tonight, that includes undressing you,” Danny countered swatting his hands away.

 

Steve flushed, but offered back, “I need to take the ribbons and stuff off before….”

 

Danny smiled broadly and said, “I have a police uniform, ya know. I know how it works.”

 

Steve ducked his head and did as Danny asked, standing still as his fingers moved seamlessly over the clipped award board, medals, and his nametag. Danny let out a slow breath as he finally unclipped the SEAL trident, reverently setting it into the protective foam of Steve’s small accessories box (Steve had given him hell for calling it a jewelry box, God bless him).

 

When he turned back to face Steve, his boyfriend’s eyes were shining and his lips twitched in a shaky smile. “It’s just a pin, Danny,” he murmured, “Not the Hope Diamond.”

 

“Don’t let your battle buddies here you say that,” Danny said coming back over to him, cupping his face as a few tears slipped out, “And you can’t fool me, Steve. That pin represents so much to you, and I know that. So it’s treated with the respect it deserves.”

 

Steve sniffled and nodded in agreement, so Danny finally moved his hands down to his waistline, dragging his fingers down Steve’s thighs as he slid the pants down his legs. Steve shuddered and Danny’s eyes immediately moved to his hardening cock. He licked his lips as he motioned for Steve to step out of the pooled pants.

 

“How many times do you wanna come tonight?” he asked hanging up the pants. Steve choked out a groan behind him, bringing a knowing smile to Danny’s face as he moved back over to him to slip the shirt down his arms from behind.

 

“Come on, babe, talk to me…. Please?” Danny murmured slipping one hand under the white t-shirt Steve still wore, needing to feel his bare skin.

 

Steve lifted his arms and removed the shirt himself, tossing it in the direction of the hamper. “Today was just a lot, Danny. I knew it was gonna be that way, but still…, ya know,” he said quietly, “I just wanna get outta my own head for a while. But we don’t have to, if-if you don’t want to, I get it, it’s--.”

 

“I say talk, and the floodgates break down, huh?” Danny asked moving in front of him with an easy smile.

 

Steve let out a relieved sigh and gave his own sheepish grin. “I wanna feel you inside me,” he said, forcing himself to not look away from the blonde’s icy blue eyes, “Just…just you.”

 

Danny almost dropped the dress shirt in his hands. They’d just received their quarterly blood tests and both had come through clean as a whistle. They hadn’t had a chance yet to discuss how that would affect their physical relationship, but apparently Steve had already made his decision. He carefully, methodically added the dress shirt to the hanger, then hung it up and closed the closet door before facing his boyfriend.

 

“And just how far down do you want me to take you, Steven?” Danny asked evenly, though his irises were thin blue circles around his blown pupils.

 

Steve’s cheeks flushed red, and he answered breathlessly, “Until the only thing I’m thinkin’ about is you.”

 

“On the bed, face up, hands up past your head,” Danny spoke, his own fingers finally beginning to slowly loosen the buttons of his dress shirt. Steve’s eyes dropped to his hands, and his mouth dropped open, his breath hitching. Danny stopped moving, and the SEAL’s eyes finally came back up.

 

“Yes, Danny,” he murmured moving to the bed and lithely sliding on, moving until he was in the requested position.

 

“Spread your legs, babe…. Wanna see you,” Danny said continuing to undress, “Wanna see _all_ o’ you….”

 

Steve’s legs parted, and Danny couldn’t bite back the groan of pure lust that escaped his mouth. He moved forward once he was just as naked as his boyfriend, letting his fingertips graze over Steve’s flesh as he moved up. Steve was practically vibrating already, and that brought a smile to the blonde’s face.

 

“Same system as last time?” he asked softly, kneeling down on the floor and dropping soft kisses on Steve’s right inner wrist.

 

“Abort, Hold, All Good,” Steve murmured back, his fingers twitching against the feel of Danny’s tongue.

 

Danny snorted and rolled his eyes playfully. He reached for the first thin rainbow-colored silk rope Steve had laid out on the nightstand, tying it first securely around the base of the headboard closest to the nightstand, then looping the other end around Steve’s wrist.

 

“One day, we’re gonna explore the kink that brought those names on,” he joked, “Too tight?”

 

“All good, Danno,” Steve said with his own playful smile, tracing Danny’s face with his eyes.

 

Danny’s smile widened the longer they stared at each other, until Danny leaned forward and captured Steve’s mouth with a suddenness that shocked the SEAL. Steve moaned lowly, and Danny caught the sound on his tongue, pressing into him as he straddled the taller man. His hands roamed over Steve’s shoulders as their tongues battled, up into his hair where he got a nice, solid grip before gently pulling his head back.

 

“You have a very smart mouth, Commander McGarrett,” Danny whispered, smirking when Steve shuddered under him, “I can think of better uses for it.”

 

“Well…, you _are_ a detective,” Steve murmured back. Danny snorted and grabbed the second silk ribbon, leaning across to tie the SEAL’s left wrist as securely as the other one. He gasped when he felt Steve’s tongue lapping at a spot on his side.

 

“Hey, hey, stop that, you animal!” he said moving back over him, a playful smile on his face.

 

“Sorry, Danno,” Steve countered, though his eyes were bright with humor. Danny finally picked up the blindfold and sat up, resting his weight just above Steve’s semi-hard cock.

 

“Once this goes on, games are over, babe,” Danny said, his smile fading, “You want me to take you down, you gotta be fully on board, you know that.”

 

Steve’s own smile dissipated, and he took a deep breath, eyeing the blindfold in Danny’s strong and capable hands. Whenever they experimented like this in the bedroom, his boyfriend was always careful to make sure ground rules were agreed upon, and that they were both comfortable within those rules. Sometimes it scared Steve just how naturally they both fit into their distinct roles. Then again, he’d never trusted anybody the way he trusted Danny, either. He knew the blonde would not only take care of him during their “play time”, but especially afterwards.

 

After a few moments, he relaxed fully into the mattress, let his eyes drift shut, and gave a compliant nod. “All good, Danny,” he breathed out.

 

Danny leaned forward and carefully slid the blindfold into place over Steve’s closed eyes, making sure the strap wasn’t too tight around the back of his head. He placed soft kisses over the SEAL’s cheeks, his nose, and the corners of his mouth.

 

“I remember sayin’ somethin’ about puttin’ this mouth to good use tonight,” he murmured against Steve’s lips, licking teasingly at them.

 

Steve shuddered once more under him, his hands clenching into fists before relaxing in their bonds. Danny carefully moved up his chest, until his shins were over Steve’s upper arms, further holding him down. He gave his cock a few strokes before murmuring, “Open up, babe.”

 

Steve’s lips parted, and Danny teased the head of his cock around the brunette’s already swollen lips. “Gonna see if you can come just from suckin’ my dick,” he whispered pressing forward.

 

Steve gave a low moan and tightened his lips around the shaft immediately, the suction perfect, the wet heat enough to make Danny’s head spin. He started with slow, easy strokes, one hand braced against the top of the headboard, the other combing through Steve’s hair.

 

“Oh, babe, yeah…. Fuck, you’re so good at this,” the blonde groaned pressing in deeper. Steve relaxed around his cock, until Danny could bury himself balls deep in his mouth. Each thrust made his balls tighten, and he felt Steve slowly start rocking upwards under him, matching his own thrusts into empty air with each stroke Danny made into his mouth.

 

“Yeah, you like this, don’t you? Like workin’ that beautiful mouth on my cock?” Danny grunted out roughly, his fingers tightening both on the headboard and in Steve’s short locks, “Tighter, Steven, come on – hah, _yes_ – yeah, use your tongue just like that, babe, yeah, just how I like it.”

 

Each time Danny pulled back, Steve circled his tongue around the thick head of Danny’s cock, lapping at his opening, and teasing the sensitive spot just under the ridge. When he pressed in, Steve relaxed his throat until Danny was lodged in the back of his mouth. His own cock felt stiff and heavy against his belly, leaking onto his heated skin. He moaned around the velvety thickness in his mouth, wanting to be everything his boyfriend needed to reach his first orgasm.

 

“Fuck, ‘m close, babe,” Danny murmured shooting his hips forward, barely giving Steve a chance to catch up to the new pace. Steve grunted and hollowed his cheeks, increasing the suction and flattening his tongue on the underside of Danny’s cock.

 

Danny threw his head back, grunting with each hard thrust. Steve’s moans nearly matched his own, and his body rocked upward faster and faster as his hands now pulled at his restraints. Suddenly he stiffened, and Danny felt wet heat splash against his lower back.

 

“Fuck! Babe, yes, make me come with you!” he gasped pressing forward one last time. Steve’s throat shuddered around him, and his own orgasm overtook him. He let out low, heavy moans and gasps as his release shook his body, until he finally softened and pulled out of Steve’s mouth.

 

Steve panted heavily under him, his cheeks flushed and his lips swollen even further. Danny moved back just enough to remove the pressure off Steve’s arms, then curled over until he could capture his lips, kissing him vigorously and trying not to laugh. “Christ, you’re gonna be the death o’ me one day,” he whispered panting just as heavily.

 

“Be a good way to go,” Steve whispered back, licking at his lips before swallowing thickly, “You good?”

 

“More than good, Steven, more than good,” Danny murmured moving from atop him to sit at his side, his back to the SEAL’s face. He grabbed a small hand towel from the nightstand and wiped away the release from Steve’s stomach, then grabbed another item and moved down to the end of the bed, between Steve’s still-parted legs.

 

As Steve caught his breath, he felt Danny nudge his legs even further apart and settle between them, his breath hot on the inside of his thighs. “Gonna mark you up tonight, everywhere I can think of,” Danny murmured.

 

Steve actually whimpered when Danny’s mouth engulfed his cock, still sensitive from the orgasm he’d just had. “Danny,” he mewled softly, trying to actually move away from the touch.

 

“Do. Not. Move,” the blonde said emphatically, one hand clamping onto the SEAL’s hip, the other under his thigh and holding it still, “I’ll tie your legs up, too, if I have to.”

 

Steve tensed up so fast, Danny looked up and said, “All good, babe?”

 

Steve shuddered out a few breaths and whispered shakily, “P-Please don’t t-tie my legs up, Danny.”

 

“Ah, hell…. Steve, I’m sorry, I didn’t even think--.” Steve’s sniffling cut him off and he moved up to his knees, his hands now moving comfortingly over the man’s thighs.

 

“That’s…that’s my limit, that’s all. I can’t…. Hands are fine, all good… Legs, not so much,” Steve whispered, biting down on his bottom lip so hard, Danny feared he’d draw blood.

 

“Okay, okay, I got it. I told you before, you have boundaries, I will not cross them. You wanna stop for the night?” Danny asked, moving this time to Steve’s side and lifting the blindfold off.

 

Steve blinked a few times before focusing on his face. Panic still lingered in his chest, but he felt it fade the longer he was able to look at his boyfriend.  He took a few deep breaths, relaxing further when Danny’s hand went to his chest and moved in gentle circles.

 

“Can you kiss me?” he finally whispered, his eyes moving to Danny’s mouth.

 

“I’m always up for that, babe,” Danny murmured with a grin, leaning down and gently pressing their lips together. He carefully stretched out onto the bed, until he was halfway on top of Steve’s lithe body. They exchanged simple chaste kisses, nothing more than that press of lips as Danny’s left hand slowly eased around to the back of his neck. When he licked at the brunette’s lips, Steve shuddered under him and opened his mouth willingly.

 

Danny took his time, still circling his right hand over Steve’s chest, feeling the man’s heart thud against his skin. After a few minutes, Steve started trying to get closer to him, angling his hips toward him. “Still gonna mark me up?” Steve whispered playfully.

 

The tension in Danny’s own chest finally broke loose, and his lips tilted up. “Blindfold or no?” he asked softly. Steve took a deep breath, eyeing Danny’s mouth and slowly licking his lips. He gave a short nod of assent and Danny carefully slipped the fabric back into place, dropping soft pecks over his cheeks and nose as he did.

 

“Thank you, Danny,” the SEAL said thickly.

 

“Anytime, babe. Now…think you can keep still for me? I won’t tie you down, I promise,” Danny said moving back down between his legs.

 

“As still as a man can be with his boyfriend’s--.”

 

Danny cut off his smart response by taking his cock into his mouth once more. Steve moaned loudly this time, arching up, but not lifting his hips. Danny grinned around his cock before slowly bobbing his head up and down, taking his time to get Steve back to a point where he was enjoying himself fully. Steve slowly hardened in his mouth, his hips thrusting up minutely each time Danny moved down. Eventually his moans and pants and groans of pleasure turned into soft grunts, and the blonde knew he was getting close to the edge.

 

“Ah, what the--.”

 

Danny squeezed the base of his now fully hard cock tightly, slipping on the cock ring he’d grabbed from the nightstand down to the base and making sure it was snug. He grinned up at his boyfriend, who looked somewhat desperate for his second orgasm.

 

“All good?” he asked, though his eyes were attuned to every twitch in his boyfriend’s face.

 

“Yeah, yeah, all good,” Steve gasped, his chest heaving.

 

Danny smirked and leaned back down, latching on to a patch of skin just a few inches south of his boyfriend’s cock. Steve groaned loudly and stiffened under the blonde, this time in anticipation. “Fuck, Danny, please,” he breathed through gritted teeth.

 

“You don’t come again until I say so, babe,” Danny spoke against his skin, planting open mouth kisses down the insides of his thighs, biting just hard enough to leave indents, and sucking bruises in a few spots that only they’d know about.

 

When he was satisfied with the varied pattern of marks, he slowly slid up, his chest and stomach gliding over Steve’s cock. The SEAL groaned harshly and shuddered under him, clearly trying not to thrust up against the friction. Danny smiled and continued up until his mouth latched onto the brunette’s right nipple. Steve cried out in pleasure, straining against his bindings and pressing up against the beautiful heat that was his boyfriend’s mouth.

 

“God, Danny, please, I’m so close!” he whimpered.

 

“Gonna test your limits tonight,” Danny murmured circling the stiff bud with the tip of his tongue.

Steve’s mind spun, and he could barely inhale enough oxygen to stay conscious. The silk around his wrists tightened almost painfully as he yanked against them, desperation driving him to reach out for the blonde.

 

Danny moved further up, until he could suckle on a spot just to the side of the hollow of Steve’s throat. It would be damn near impossible for Steve to cover it up, not unless he had a turtleneck hidden in the back of his closet. Once the skin was a bright, bright red, he reached up and grasped at the side of his boyfriend’s throat, his thumb settling against the mark as he captured his mouth, driving his tongue inside and pressing harder.

 

Steve pliantly moved with him, merely along for the ride now as Danny tried to absolutely devour him. After nearly a minute, the blonde finally pulled away, breathing harshly against his lips. “I love you so much,” he whispered nipping at the SEAL’s bottom lip before sliding away and off the bed.

 

Steve felt the tension in his bonds loosen, and he flexed his fingers to regain some circulation. “On your knees,” Danny commanded softly, “Yep, there ya go, now lean forward.”

 

Steve carefully did as instructed, his breathing finally beginning to slow, his heartrate following suit. Danny retied the ropes around his wrists so his arms were outstretched, keeping him slightly off balance and forcing Steve to use his core muscles to stay upright. He felt the blonde’s fingers gliding over his straining back muscles, down to his ass and back up again in a soothing rhythm.

 

“Thank you for letting me do this, babe,” Danny whispered against his left shoulder, nosing up the skin before nibbling on his ear, “This kinda trust…? Blows my mind every time.”

 

Steve turned into his touch, rubbing his cheek against Danny’s nose as he softly responded, “Thank you for taking care o’ me.”

 

“Always,” Danny said fervently, “Never doubt that.”

 

Steve’s cheeks flushed red, and he ducked his head as his lips tilted up. Danny trailed his tongue up the side of his neck as he moved behind him, making sure to grab the lube from the nightstand. He continued mouthing across the back of the SEAL’s neck and shoulders as he slicked up the fingers of both hands.

 

“Ready?” he murmured biting at the juncture where Steve’s neck and shoulder met. Steve moaned lowly and pressed back into the bite, as much as he could with his arms tied like they were. Danny’s left hand moved around his front, teasing at his nipples as his right hand teased at his fluttering hole.

 

“I’m yours, Danny,” the brunette gasped, “I’m yours, use me, I’m yours.”

 

Danny bit down harder on the skin, groaning as he slipped his slick middle finger inside Steve’s tight passage and his other hand loosely encircled his cock. Steve gasped as he tried to figure out which direction his boyfriend wanted to him to move. It turned out he didn’t need to move at all. Danny’s hands worked in conjunction, loosening and stretching his ass, and tightly, but methodically stroking his cock. His heart beat so hard against his breastbone, Steve felt like it would crack his chest open.

 

“Oh…oh, Danny, please,” he choked out, throwing his head back as the blonde moved even closer to him to slip a second finger inside him, “Fuck – Christ, I – Jesus, I can’t--.”

 

“All good?” Danny breathed in his ear before resuming sucking on his overheated skin. Steve found he couldn’t breathe deeply enough to answer him verbally. Instead, he squeezed tightly around the blonde’s fingers and moaned gutturally. Danny chuckled knowingly and planted a trail of open-mouthed kisses along the nape of his neck.

 

“Fuckin’ beautiful how good you feel around my fingers, babe. Gonna be even better once I get my cock inside you,” he growled scissoring his fingers before pressing deeply, hard, stroking the insides intensely. Steve jumped when Danny hit his prostate, a half-moan/half-scream pulled from his lips this time.

 

“God, now, Danny, now, please!” he begged as he felt hot tears burn in his eyes. He was beyond desperate to cum at this point. He was so hard, it was bordering on painful, and not the good kind. A keening moan tore from his throat when he felt a third finger slide inside him. He trembled violently and yanked against the silk ropes, pressing back against the feel of his boyfriend opening him up.

 

“Breathe, babe, come on,” Danny whispered, “Come on, you know I’m gonna get you where you need to be, breathe.”

 

Steve shuddered and inhaled sharply, relaxing against his thrusting fingers. After a few more strokes, Danny pulled his fingers away and pressed in tight against his hips, his throbbing cock teasing against Steve’s hole. His left hand tightened on Steve’s hip as he slowly pressed forward, breaching the fluttering ring and groaning lowly against his skin.

 

“Christ in heaven, you feel amazing,” he breathed out, continuing to press forward until he was buried to the hilt.

 

Once fully inside him, Danny had to pause for a few long moments. Sex with Steve was always perfect, the way they both seemed to fit inside each other like they weren’t made for anything else. This? Going without the barrier of a condom, with nothing whatsoever between their bodies? Perfect wasn’t the right adjective, and the blonde’s brain felt so overwhelmed with sensations, he couldn’t bother to try to come up with the right one.

 

“Danny…,” Steve whimpered, reflexively clenching around him. Danny groaned again before pulling back until only the tip of his cock remained inside. When he pressed forward, both hands clenched around Steve’s hips, hard enough he knew there’d be bruises there, too.

 

“Fuck yourself on my cock, Steven,” he said hoarsely, “Slowly.”

 

Steve gasped softly before doing as commanded, sliding forward before inching back, canting his hips to try to take the blonde as far inside him as possible. The feeling was absurdly good; he was being stretched like never before this way, and it was though he could track every vein and ridge of Danny’s length. When he tried to speed up, Danny’s fingers tightened on his hips, forcing him back down to the pace he wanted.

 

“Baby, please,” Steve cried, the tears escaping and soaking the bottom of the blindfold, “Need…. God, I need to come, Danny!”

 

“Told you – fuck, you feel so good, Steven – told you I was gonna, ugh, gonna test your – _fuck_ – gonna test your limits tonight,” Danny growled beginning to thrust hard into him now, one hand moving up to grasp at his neck, the other teasing a stiff nipple, “Wanna see – God, yes, babe, yes, squeeze my dick – fuck, wanna see how long you can hold out.”

 

Steve choked out a sob and rocked back against him, meeting each thrust with a tight squeeze of his own, feeling like his skin was about to explode. Danny sucked another mark just above where he knew Steve’s work shirts stopped, his hand tightening around his throat as he did.

 

“God, I wish I could – ugh – wish I could live inside you, babe. There’s no other place I’d rather be some days than inside you, you hear me?” he gasped against his ear, his thrusts short and sharp as his spine tingled in anticipation, “Wish I could crawl under your goddamned skin and set up shop forever.”

 

Steve moaned loudly and breathlessly whispered back, “You’re already there, Danny. Fuck, ah, harder, yes, yes! Everywhere – ugh, _harder_ , Danny – everywhere I go, you’re always there, even when you’re not.”

 

Danny snapped open the cock ring and pounded into his boyfriend, their yells mixing as skin slapped together. Steve yanked back on the ropes, hard, until the right one literally ripped in half. His hand groped and latched onto Danny’s ass, yanking him forward each time he pulled back.

 

“Gonna fill you up, babe, _god_ , gonna come so deep, you’ll never get me out,” the blonde growled biting down on his left ear lobe and pinching and twisting his nipple hard. Steve’s back arched, his ass clenched around Danny’s cock, and he let out a hoarse cry as his orgasm ripped out of him. Danny’s eyes clenched shut as his cock twitched wildly before exploding deep inside Steve’s rippling passage. He pulled Steve tightly to him as his hips jerked uncontrollably, every drop of his release bringing a new explosion of stars behind his eyes.

 

Steve went limp in his arms, his head draped back over Danny’s shoulder, his mouth open and his breathing ragged. He vaguely heard Danny ask if he was okay, but he couldn’t find the energy to answer. He even felt Danny move to wipe him down, cleaning their mutual messes away. However, his mind raced as he twitched with aftershocks.

 

 _He’s_ mine _. Nobody’s ever taking this away from me, ever. I’ll do whatever it takes to keep him by my side. I’d unleash hell to keep him safe. I’d kill for him. Fuck that, I_ have _killed for him, and I’d do it again, no regrets whatsoever. He’s_ mine, he thought possessively.

 

He slowly turned his head towards Danny’s, swallowing thickly and taking a deep breath. Before his brain could actually process the words burning to be released, his mouth formed them, “Marry me, Danny.”

 

Danny froze behind him, one of his hands in the middle of undoing the knots on the still-intact rope. Steve couldn’t even feel him breathing. The SEAL’s heart plummeted, and his heartrate skyrocketed. “Shit, shit, shit,” he gasped out reaching up and snatching off the blindfold, tossing it away haphazardly before reaching for the same knots Danny had been working on.

 

“Hey, hey, babe, wait, stop!” Danny said quickly, grabbing Steve’s flailing hand.

 

“Abort, goddamn it, abort, untie me, Danny!” Steve shot back in a panic. He needed to get loose, he couldn’t be restrained right now, he absolutely had to get out of that bed.

 

Danny reached over his right shoulder and clamped his arm over Steve’s chest, holding him against him tightly. With his other hand, he got hold of Steve’s free hand and pressed it tightly against his chest, grabbing his own left forearm with his right hand to hold the man still. He knew Steve could do some serious damage to him if he truly wanted to, but he sent up a prayer that he could get him calm before they reached that level.

 

“Steven! Listen to me, _stop_!” he said in a steely tone, “Stop and take a deep breath, you’re gonna hurt yourself like this! And worse, you’re gonna hurt _me_.”

 

Steve shuddered out sharp breaths, twitching against him, clearly fighting to hold back his panic. His chest still heaved, though, and Danny could tell he was heading into full-blown panic attack mode.

 

“I’m gonna untie you, babe, I swear to God I will. I just need you to breathe for me,” he whispered, “In…out. In…out. Yes, yes, that’s it, that’s great, thank you, baby, just like that.”

 

Steve whimpered as hot tears escaped the corners of his eyes, but he finally stopped moving against the blonde. Danny slowly released his grip on his forearm, moving to quickly loosen the fabric around the SEAL’s wrist. Once it was loose, the blonde massaged his wrist and hand before linking their fingers together and pressing them tightly to Steve’s chest, right over his pounding heart.

 

“There we go, all loose now. Come on, keep takin’ those deep breaths for me, babe, please. Need you to calm down, okay,” he whispered in the SEAL’s ear.

 

Steve bit back a sob, inhaling deep and letting the air in shuddering exhales. Danny moved his right arm under Steve’s and rubbed soothing, comforting circles over his flank. After a minute of silence, his boyfriend finally fully relaxed against him.

 

“Why do you want me to marry you, Steve?” Danny asked softly.

 

Steve dropped his head forward, tears still leaking from his eyes, and whispered, “You’re the most important person in my life, Danny. I don’t…I don’t wanna live without you. I-I _can’t_ live without you now.”

 

Danny dropped a soft kiss at the knobby top of his spine, continuing to stroke his side as he weighed those words. He’d be lying if he said he didn’t feel the same way, but marriage? And barely a year after making their relationship official? He didn’t know if he was ready for that level of commitment again, even with Steve, and that scared him even more.

 

“And why do you want to marry me?” he asked finally.

 

Steve actually snorted. It was like Danny had asked him the stupidest question in the world.

 

“Because I love you,” he said simply.

 

Danny grinned against his back before resting his chin over his left shoulder. “I love you, too. More than words could ever say,” he murmured.

 

Steve sniffled and wiped the tears and sweat away from his face, letting out a resigned sigh. “Just say no already, please. I need to clean up,” he said dejectedly.

 

“How long have you been thinkin’ about this?” Danny asked instead.

 

Steve tensed in his arms, his breath hitching. Danny’s hand never stopped moving over his skin. They sat in the silence of the room for what seemed an immeasurable moment, until Steve finally shuddered out a breath and whispered, “Since Denning signed it into law in July.”

 

Danny’s fingers twitched against his flank, and he felt Steve try to get his left hand loose. He took a deep breath and tightened their fingers together again, wrapping his right arm fully around his waist. He waited for the man to stop moving before speaking again.

 

“There are…rules against this, babe, even though it’s legal now. Rules in law enforcement. Couples can’t work together, especially married couples,” he said quietly, “I’d have to…either go back to HPD, or-or find another--.”

 

“Danny, we’ve been breaking that rule for a while now. Besides…we’re Five-0, not HPD. I… _I_ have final say in who works for…who works _with_ me, remember,” Steve answered, his head falling forward once more, “Besides, who else would put up with me in the field other than you?”

 

It was meant to be sarcastic, but Danny heard the pain in Steve’s voice, and it broke his heart. Even after all the good work they’d done as a team, the impact Five-0 had had on the islands, his SuperSEAL still doubted his own worth as a cop. Sure, they were known to strong-arm the various local police departments on occasion, and had run-ins even with state and national law enforcement groups, but that didn’t mean they weren’t all good at what they did. Hell, Steve had proven himself as a law enforcement officer a hundred times over in the two years since Five-0 had been formed.

 

“This is, by far, the craziest idea you’ve ever had, McGarrett,” he said, his lips twitching upwards of their own accord, “And you’ve suggested a lotta crazy shit the past two years.”

 

“It’s not an id--. Look, just forget it, okay, forget I said anything, let’s just--.”

 

“You’re gonna have tell Chin and Kono,” Danny said, humor now clearly in his voice, “I don’t wanna know what amount o’ money they have ridin’ on this.”

 

Steve spun in his arms before Danny had finished speaking, his eyes wide and red-rimmed, his jaw hanging open. “What?” he gasped in a daze.

 

“And I expect a real proposal sometime soon, with a ring and everything,” Danny said simply with a casual shrug of his shoulders.

 

Steve’s brows furrowed deeply, and his eyes glistened anew. He tried to speak, but he couldn’t seem to make his vocal cords work. Danny cupped his cheeks, thumbing away the tears still leaking from the SEAL’s eyes, and whispered, “When you know, you know, yeah?”

 

Steve scrambled from the bed before Danny could stop him, rushing into the closet. Danny looked over his shoulder when he heard what sounded like the gun safe’s keypad beeping, then a door hissing open.

 

“Steven, I do _not_ want a pistol as an engagement--.”

 

“Shut _up_ , Danny!” Steve shot back, bringing a small grin to the blonde’s face. He wrapped up the messy towels, tossing them into the hamper on the other side of the bed, then took the soiled cock ring into the bathroom to be cleaned and sanitized after their shower.

 

When Danny came back into the room, he stumbled to a stop just past the dresser. Steve was kneeling on the floor in front of the closet, fresh tears in his deep blue eyes as he held up an open black box. Inside the foam seating sat a plain, silver-colored band. Danny looked back up to his boyfriend in open shock.

 

“Daniel Williams…,” Steve whispered shakily, “Will you…will you do me the biggest honor of my life? Will you be my husband?”

 

Danny’s smile grew as he stepped closer and whispered, “What a Boy Scout you are, Mr. McGarrett.”

 

“Better to have and not need, than need and not have,” Steve responded, the tears now falling, “Please marry me, Danno.”

 

Danny leaned down and captured his lips, the kiss deep and full of love and desire and overwhelming affection. When he finally pulled back, Steve sniffled and whispered, “I…I need to…need to hear you say it.”

 

“Yes, Steven J. McGarrett, I will marry you,” Danny said simply, thumbing away the tears and pressing their lips together once more. Steve pulled back and slowly stood, pulling the ring from the box and setting the box on top of the dresser. When Danny held his left hand out expectantly, Steve gasped out short breaths.

 

Danny cupped his face, bringing those blue eyes up to his own. “There’s nobody else on this planet I would want by my side for the rest o’ my life but you and Gracie, babe,” he said gently, “This…is as important to me as it is to you, I promise you that.”

 

Steve swallowed thickly and slid the silver band onto Danny’s ring finger with shaking fingers, before whispering, “I didn’t think you’d ever wanna get married again.”

 

“I didn’t, either. Then this arrogant Army boy shows up and takes over my crime scene,” Danny murmured with a grin.

 

Steve’s eyes narrowed before he leaned down until their lips were nearly touching. “Navy, Daniel…Navy boy,” he said huskily.

 

“Meh, one day I might get it right,” Danny smirked grabbing the SEAL’s right hand and leading him into the bathroom.

 

Steve chuckled knowingly and kicked the door shut behind them. Danny had bulldozed his way into every part of the SEAL’s life the past two years, knocked down every single barrier Steve had put up to keep people out, and broken every tie that had held him down, ones he knew about and ones he didn’t. There was not another living person who knew him as well as Danny did, not even Catherine.

 

He never thought he’d be lucky enough to be able to be open about his sexuality, let alone find someone who took it in stride, accepted him completely, inside and out. For it to end up being a man? Steve couldn’t have been happier, and he was looking forward to spending every day of the rest of his life – and possibly even the next one – trying to be the partner, friend, and husband Daniel Williams deserved. The SEAL could do no less.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mahalo, mahalo, mahalo for sticking with me to the end of this story! 2019 kicked my ass in ways I couldn't begin to name, and this story is one of the few things that kept me going. The biggest and brightest and best of "Thank Yous" especially to bxbori9181, my best friend, my partner in crime, my twisted sister. She loves and supports me so completely, so thoroughly, it's overwhelmingly humbling, and I don't know where I'd be without her. Thank you, babe, for being exactly who you are, and I'm blessed beyond belief to have found my very own Danno. I love you more than words could ever say!


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